


The boats and the birds

by szczepter



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Drabble Collection, Fluff, Humor, Light Angst, Light Smut, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2018-11-03 00:03:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 32,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10955511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szczepter/pseuds/szczepter
Summary: Collection of KagaKuro drabbles vol2. contains canon and future verses





	1. Kagami-kun is terrible

**Author's Note:**

> Yesterday was kiss day

 Tetsuya had to bite his lip and ground himself not to make a noise, as he felt his stomach twitch. His fingers gripped his book and he tried to focus on the text before him but it was neigh impossible when Kagami-kun was in the mood to make him focus on _him_. He always had his ways of making Tetsuya forget about anything, especially when he used his stupid mouth.

Tetsuya’s eyebrow twitched.

“Taiga-kun.” He said finally, knowing well that he was admitting defeat and he lowered to book to look at his boyfriend who seemed to have a field day.

Taiga pressed one last soft (too _soft_ , _too_ light) kiss to his hip and then another one under his bellybutton. Tetsuya could feel the shape of his smug smile when he realized _he_ had his attention and _not_ the book.

“Yeah?” He asked and pressed his lips this time above his navel and looked at Tetsuya.

Kuroko curled his toes and tried to not give in.

“Please stop that. It tickles.”

Something gleamed in Kagami’s eyes.

“I know.” He said and Tetsuya yelped when he sunk his teeth and nipped gently.

“Stooop.” Tetsuya whined, not being able to hold the noise inside. Taiga licked the small bite and Tetsuya hiccupped and his stomach twitched.

Kagami pressed his face to the smooth skin of his belly and inhaled. Tetsuya thought he’d continue until he tickled the breath out of him, but he didn’t. _For now_.

Tetsuya petted his hair and mused on how ridiculously cute and annoying his boyfriend could be, when Kagami suddenly crawled up his frame and wrapped his arms around Kuroko’s waist.

“Hey.”

“Hm?” Tetsuya asked, still trying to read his book when Kagami pressed kisses to his neck.

“You know what’s today?”

“Hmm…Tuesday?”

Kagami grumbled and bit his jaw lightly.

He reached for his phone on the nightstand and showed it to Tetsuya. He blinked at the display, staring at it for a moment, before he looked at Kagami with an amused look.

“I see.” He said seriously.  "Are you into strange Japanese holidays now Taiga-kun?“

Kagami’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but he still slid his hands under Kuroko’s shirt.

"That’s weird?”

“Is it not?” Kuroko teased back. “Do you need a special day to kiss me?”

Kagami snorted and pressed his fingers into the dip of Kuroko’s spine.

“No, but I heard it’s bad luck not to follow the tradition.”

“Oh really?” Kuroko raised an eyebrow.

“Nah. I just made it up.” He grinned and finally kissed Tetsuya on the mouth while his hands ran over his sides, prodding all the nooks and crannies there.

Tetsuya writhed under Kagami, kicked his legs and dropped his book, regretting that he wasn’t able to bookmark the page.

He made small noises of protest against his lips and fisted the back of his shirt and tried to pull him away.

Finally he tore his mouth free and gasped but it turned into hiccups and helpless laughter.

He _knew_ Kagami wouldn’t give up.

Tears spilled from Tetsuya’s eyes and sunk into the pillow under his head, and when he wasn’t able to laugh anymore, just weakly tremble and hiccup, Kagami took mercy on him and stopped.

He pressed a kiss to his lips and then grinned in such a way which annoyed Tetsuya, but he could only pout.

Kagami moved back to his previous spot and pillowed his head on Kuroko’s flat stomach, but not before he pressed one more kiss to the soft skin on the surface and firm muscle underneath.

Tetsuya sighed and twitched again.

He’d get him back.

_In a moment_. He thought as he dipped his fingers back into red strands.

In a moment.


	2. Grabby Hands

Once in a blue moon, Kagami managed to sneak up on Kuroko.

A little more often though, Kuroko _let_ Kagami sneak up on him.

He never told him that, knowing he’d feel a bit insulted (and even though the childish pout was adorable and tempting for Tetsuya to tease him, he resisted).

Because he feeling of two, strong arms wrapping around his middle and squeezing was more than welcomed.

“Hello.” Tetsuya said as he closed the fridge, and lowered the bottle of pocari from his lips.

Kagami didn’t say anything, merely hummed and squeezed his waist once.

“You smell nice.” He said and buried his face first in Tetsuya’s still damp hair and then pressed his nose in the short hairs of his nape and breathed.

Tetsuya rolled his eyes. He didn’t even manage to put on a shirt, but he could already feel his skin warming up under Kagami’s touch.

“It’s _your_ body wash.” He pointed out.

Kagami scoffed.

“Well it smells better on _you_.”

Kuroko turned around, small smile ghosting over his lips.

“I wouldn’t know. I think I like it better on you, but mine has run out.”

Kagami’s brow twitched impatiently.

“Can we not talk about that? It’s weird.”

“Then what do you want to talk about?”

Kagami’s eye gleamed and Kuroko gasped when he was suddenly lifted up, bridal style.

“Don’t want to talk. We’re going to bed.”

Kuroko’s eyebrow rose.

“But it’s only seven.” He said, knowing fully what Kagami had in mind. The urge to _tease_ , however was just too great.

“When I’ll finish with you it’ll be way past midnight.” He said gruffly, and looked at Kuroko with a serious expression, brows furrowed. He probably went for ‘smoldering’ but to Tetsuya he just looked confused.

“Is that a promise~?” He teased again.

Kagami stumbled on their way to the bedroom and Tetsuya giggled, wrapping his arms around Kagami’s neck. He probably shouldn’t have laughed by the prospect of having his head _cracked_ against a wall or the floor, but Kagami-kun was just _too_ funny when he tried to be 'seductive’ and _failed_.

“Don’t laugh at me!” He bristled and glared at Tetsuya, his face crimson.

“I’m sorry.” He bit his lip but the laugh was still there, in his voice and eyes. “I just took a shower.” He said suddenly, trying to rile Kagami up a bit.

Kagami paused and looked at him again, his brow smoothed out a bit, but his cheeks were still red.

“Then you can take another one.”

“You mean _we_?” Kuroko asked seriously just to clarify.

“Yes.” Kagami answered not missing a beat.

“Well, is _that_ a promise?”

There was a pause before Kagami grinned and Tetsuya’s heart suddenly skipped.

“Hell yeah it is.”


	3. Tetsuya you little shit!

Tetsuya sighed, stretched, and put the open book in his lap. It wasn’t a _bad_ novel per se, but it lacked a lot for Tetsuya’s tastes to be satisfied. Still he wanted to finish it, but for the time being he felt, well…slightly bored.

He played with the blanket covering his legs for a moment and then looked up to his husband who was doing such fascinating things as scrolling his facebook feed on his phone on the couch next to him.

Something stirred in Tetsuya and he thought he might interest Kagami in something slightly _more_ entertaining.

He carefully bookmarked the page and put the book on the nearby table which he chose to put next to his reading chair and stretched his legs under the blanket.

He then lifted one of his legs and slowly put it on Kagami’s calf. Kagami didn’t react.

Not discouraged by that Tetsuya rubbed his bare toes over Kagami’s jeans and dragged his foot up and further, until he was touching his knee.

Kagami still stayed oblivious.

Tetsuya bit his lip and slid his leg further into Kagami’s lap and tapped him on the stomach.

“Huh?” Kagami finally looked away from his phone and down onto his lap.

Tetsuya moved his foot as if he was ‘waving’ to Kagami.

Kagami snorted and grabbed Kuroko’s ankle.

“What the book’s not interesting enough for you?”

Tetsuya wiggled his toes.

“No.” He paused. Kagami kept reading things on his phone.

“Taiga-kun?”

“Hm?” Kagami answered absentmindedly.

“Do you remember what you said on our wedding?”

Kagami blinked confused suddenly.

“ _Which_ thing? I said a lot of things. And what brought this on?”

Tetsuya shrugged.

“Nothing really. Just nostalgia.” He sighed and pressed his toes to Kagami’s palm.

“What I’m referring to is that when you were promising me your faithfulness is that you also said   _You can put your cold feet on me_.”

Kagami paused and finally looked directly at Tetsuya.

“ _And_? You’re already doing it?”

Tetsuya huffed.

“Yes, but that’s not the point.”

“Then what’s the point?” Kagami asked.

“You should give me a foot rub.”

“What?” Kagami laughed. “I never said I’d do it.” He said and Tetsuya felt his whole being ground when his fingers ghosted dangerously over his sole.

“Mm, but it will make them warmer.”

They stared at each other for a while, before Kagami sighed and dropped his head.

“Spoiled.” He murmured and finally put the phone away and grabbed Kuroko’s foot with both hands. “Don’t complain if it’ll hurt. I’ve never done this before.”

Tetsuya rolled his eyes and then squeaked when Kagami dragged his closer to himself by his leg.

Kagami gripped his foot in both hands and started to knead his thumbs from the center, and Tetsuya thought that this was the absolute display of trust – letting someone massage your feet while you were _ticklish_.

Tetsuya sighed and let his head drop back against the back of his armchair and closed his eyes.

Kagami used small circles starting from the center and moving in every direction. He pressed his thumb under his toes and Tetsuya had to bite his lip not to let out a moan. He didn’t even _know_ he had a knot there.

“That okay?” Kagami asked gruffly and Kuroko only nodded not opening his eyes.

“Y-yes.” He exhaled though his nose. “You can do it a bit harder…” He sighed again when Kagami did just that.

Tetsuya could feel and hear air bubbles pop gently between his bones – it didn’t hurt but Kagami massaged the skin there, relaxing the muscles.

Tetsuya frowned slightly. It was _impossible_ that Kagami never did that before.

One of Kagami’s hands moved to Kuroko’s ankle and rubbed gently and now Kuroko let out a small moan and felt himself blush a bit.

Kagami continued for a moment longer and Tetsuya felt like a puddle of goo. He started to lift his other foot with the intention of getting it also thoroughly pampered but then everything just…stopped.

Tetsuya opened his eyes and had to blink a few times to refocus his gaze.

“Why did you stop?” He asked confused.

Kagami held his foot in both hands. He looked a bit angry with his frown directed at Tetsuya, but the effect was destroyed because of the fierce blush on his face.

“Taiga-kun?”

“Sometimes.” Kagami started. “I think you’re doing it on purpose.”

Tetsuya blinked.

“Do what on purpose?”

Kagami’s glare turned annoyed.

“You should hear yourself once. Or maybe not.”

Tetsuya stared at his husband in confusion.

And then he saw the subtle shift of Kagami’s gaze which he directed lower, and at first Tetsuya thought it was about his foot but then he saw the _real_ reason and _oh…_ well.

Tetsuya still was taken aback when _these_ things happened.

It _was_ flattering though.

Kagami caught his eye and they both blushed (in Kagami’s case it was even more). He let go of Tetsuya’s foot and expected for Tetsuya to take it away and go back to his book.

He considered it, but then…

Kagami saw the glint in his eyes, but didn’t manage to react before Tetsuya pressed his foot (not too hard to hurt of course, but significantly _enough_ for Kagami to feel it the way he intended) and had to bite his lip again at the mix of an unmanly squeak and a whimper.

“Oi!” Kagami sputtered when Tetsuya rubbed his crotch though his jeans. It was light now and he could probably barely feel it.

Tetsuya smiled coyly at him.

Kagami groaned and grabbed his leg roughly lifting it up in the air away from his lap.

Tetsuya pouted.

Kagami clucked his tongue.

“Don’t start shit if you’re not intending to continue.”

“Who says I didn’t want to continue.”

Silence.

Kagami opened his mouth in realization and Tetsuya wanted to laugh. Mostly at himself though, because he _just_ had the _same_ reaction.

Tetsuya used Kagami’s dumbstruck state and lowered his foot on the floor.

Kagami recovered soon and they both shared another look, which made Tetsuya feel as if they were having a mental conversation even though it was _impossible._

Kagami moved first and Tetsuya followed, not wanting to be left too much behind.

Unfortunately, he forgot he was covered with a blanket which got tangled during the whole foot rub business.

Tetsuya lost his balance and fell face first, thankfully on the couch and not the floor. He could hear Kagami’s amused snort and before he could tell him off or tell him it was rude he was rolled further into the blanket and then lifted up.

Kagami hoisted him up over his shoulder and carried him, most probably, to their bedroom.

All the while tickling Tetsuya’s exposed feet.


	4. Taste of Summer

Kagami was the first one to feel the fat drops of rain on the top of his head and soon after on the nape of his neck.

Kuroko was already looking at the sky. Kagami saw how a drop of rain landed on his cheek and Kuroko blinked in surprise as if he didn’t expect it himself.

He opened his mouth to tell him that they should go somewhere just when it started pouring.

They scrambled as quickly as possible, grabbing their bags and the ball and running from the court.

Wet snickers slapped against the wet pavement and tried to avoid the quickly growing puddles until the managed to find a shed with a bench.

All this took them maybe a few minutes at best, but it was enough to drench them to the bone.

Kagami dropped his bag next to the bench and sat down heavily with a sigh.

Kuroko sat next to him, bag next to his legs and ball in lap.

“Summer rain huh?” Kagami muttered to himself.

Kuroko hummed in affirmation.

Out of the corner of his eye Kagami noticed that Kuroko was shivering and he turned to him.

And that was a mistake.

Kuroko was bend down to rummage in his bag and Kagami could clearly see how his white, completely wet t-shirt clung to his side, showing all curves of his smaller body.

Kuroko straightened when he managed to fish out a towel from his bag (it was mostly wet unfortunately) and wiped his face.

Kagami swallowed and looked away for a moment.

“Hey.” He said and Kuroko looked at him. His hair looked darker when wet and it was plastered to his forehead.

“Take this.” He dropped his hoodie around Kuroko’s shoulders.

Kuroko looked at the piece of clothing and then at Kagami.

“But they you’ll be cold.”

“I’m fine. You’re the one who catches colds like an idiot.”

Kuroko’s mouth tugged up.

“If I’m an idiot I wouldn’t be catching colds.”

Kagami’s brow twitched at the unspoken insinuation. Kuroko loved making that joke too much.

“Shut up.”

Kuroko smiled to himself, hid the towel in his bag and put the ball down on the ground.

Kagami was observing the rain, and figured that they would be stuck here for a while when something brushed against his hand.

He looked down and saw pale fingers brushing his knuckles hesitantly, before it firmly covered his hand.

Kagami swallowed again and felt his cheeks grow hot and he shivered when he some of the water from his hair ran down his spine.

He looked up and saw Kuroko looking back, his face red as well.

Rainwater from Kuroko’s hair was dripping down his face. One drop made its way across his cheek and then disappeared in his parted, wet lips.

Kagami didn’t realize they were inching closer and closer until their faces were just millimeters apart.

He stopped and waited. Kuroko didn’t hesitate and pressed their mouths together in a closed kiss.

Kagami’s eyes slipped shut and when Kuroko pulled away a bit, it was his time to kiss back.

Somehow their hands which were resting on the bench tangled together; Kagami didn’t know who initiated it but didn’t matter.

Kagami lazily chased the rain which was still running down Kuroko’s face, licked it into Kuroko’s mouth who parted willingly, and tasted the saltiness, while his nostrils filled with an earthy scent which was characteristic for rains.

Kuroko’s free hand was resting on Kagami’s knee and squeezed when his other hand came up to cup his cheek and tilted Kuroko’s face to make the kiss deeper.

His head was filled with the sound of the rain (or maybe it was the rush of his blood), but he still managed to hear the faint sigh Kuroko made when they parted and then came together again and again.

Soon they slowed down. Wet and messy turned into slow and barely there brushes of mouths until they mutually parted.

Kuroko smiled at Kagami, cheeks glowing. Kagami tried to say something but nothing could come out of his mouth, so he wrapped an arm around Kuroko’s shoulders and pressed him into his chest.

Truth be told, he _was_ starting to get a bit cold himself so he wanted to leech some warmth from Kuroko.

The other boy snuggled closer, wet mop of hair smelling of earth and rain pressed under Kagami’s chin. There was nothing they could do other than to just wait until the rain passed.

* * *

The rain took almost an hour to stop and by the time it did Kuroko was dozing off.

Kagami nudged him awake and they took their things and headed home.

The streets were empty and full of puddles which they tried to walk around, but didn’t always manage. Kuroko was still wearing Kagami’s hoodie because he refused to accept it back. The only sound was that of cars in the distance and water trickling down the gutters.

“Kagami-kun, thank you.” Kuroko said when they reached their parting place and he started taking off the hoodie. Kagami noticed that his wrinkled t-shirt was dry at least.

He stopped him with a wave.

“Nah. Take it.”

“But you’re _cold_.” Kuroko said.

“Yeah, but it’s close to my apartment. I’ll jog. You can give it back tomorrow.”

Kuroko sighed in resignation.

“Fine, but under one condition.”

He rummaged through his bag and took out a small umbrella.

“Take it. It’s a barter.”

“Oka-wait a minute you had an umbrella and you didn’t said anything?!”

“Yes.” Kuroko rolled his eyes. “Don’t you think it’s a bit small for the two of us? Also what do you think it would help in a _storm?_ ”

“Uhm, right.” Kagami said and took the umbrella.

Kuroko laughed under his breath.

Kagami stepped closer and zipped up the hoodie all the way. Kuroko’s hands tugged at his own shirt and he bend down to kiss him goodbye.

Kagami intended for it to be a chaste, quick kiss, but somehow the same earthly smell and the still salty taste of Kuroko’s lips made Kagami wrap his arms around Kuroko’s waist.

They only jumped apart when they heard a honk of a car somewhere in the distance.

“G-goodnight.” Kagami said and swallowed when his voice came out a bit hoarse.

“Goodnight.” Kuroko nodded and looked at him from the corner of his eye before smiling and making Kagami shiver.

That night rained heavily, and usually Kagami didn’t mind. He paid little attention to the rain on a daily basis, but he definitely never lost sleep because of it.

Now, as he tosses and turns in bed, he can’t sleep.

He gives up on it for the time being with a sigh and lays in darkness, listening to the pitter patter outside, thoughts filled with the sound and the taste of summer.


	5. They grow up so fast

“Help me please.” Kuroko whined pitifully.

Kagami did not react.

Kuroko managed to free one hand and wave it desperately to get this attention. Kagami stayed unfazed as he read his magazine, completely indifferent to Kuroko’s desperate situation.

“Taiga-kun.” Kuroko gasped as he managed to free his face and not suffocate entirely.

“Hm?” Kagami finally reacted, if only barely and he flipped a page in his mag, which he balanced on his crossed legs.

Nigou barked happily and snuggled closer, or rather crushed Tetsuya more in his doggy attempt to hug his human.

“You are terrible.” Kuroko said from under the 150 kilos of an affectionate Alaskan Malamute.

“Mhm.” Kagami picked his mug of tea and took an obnoxiously loud slurp.

Kuroko glared at him and Kagami smirked from behind the cup when he caught his eye.

“Kuroko freed his other hand and managed to catch Kagami’s jeans’ pant leg.

“ _Help me_.” He whined and shook his leg.

“Hm? But he’s just happy to see you.” Kagami retorted and grinned when Nigou barked and waved his tail happily that he was being acknowledged.

“But he’s  _heavy.”_  Kuroko grunted and shook Kagami’s leg harder.

Kagami just rolled his eyes.

“You should have thought about that before feeding him snacks all the time.”

“But he was  _hungry._  I don’t deny  _you_ food.”

Kagami just snorted and waved his leg nonchalantly.

Kuroko grumbled something about ungrateful and mean boyfriends and then he stopped. And slid his sneaky hand lower and skimmed it over Kagami’s foot and sole.

Kagami immediately went rigid and Kuroko smirked because he knew he won.

“Okay, okay. Nigou move it.” He said and nudged the huge dog with his foot.

The dog instantly flopped on his side and rolled of off Kuroko. It was a reflex which he learned over the course of living with Kagami who didn’t know at first what it meant when a dog exposed his belly.

Kagami found it amusing and learned to give Nigou belly rubs with his foot which, when he was still smaller would make him roll around like a roll of dough.

Now? Not so much.

“There, better?”

Kuroko didn’t manage to answer because Nigou soon realized that there would be no belly rubs this time around and he was ready to flop back on top of Kuroko.

“No Nigou.” Kuroko warned and pushed against the dog firmly, but he was no match for that weight.

“Here Nigou.” Kagami waved a chew toy in front of Nigou’s face which he just managed to find in the couch.

Nigou barked and Kagami threw it outside the living room.

Nigou of course instantly followed.

“There. You happy?” Kagami took Kuroko’s extended hand and helped him get to his feet.

Kuroko used that to his advantage and flopped hard in Kagami’s lap and made him grunt, when his knee only narrowly missed his crotch. Not nice.

“What the hell? This is the thank you for saving you from your hell hound?”

Kuroko pouted as he made himself comfortable.

“ _Pity save.”_  Kuroko complained and Kagami rolled his eyes again.

“Yeah well, still counts.”

Kuroko scoffed and was about to say back something snarky when he grunted again and pushed Kagami forward on the couch.

“Hey, what the- _Nigou!”_

Nigou found the toy in a matter of minutes and came back and was adamant today to show all his love for his humans and sat on top of them.

“Get offa me!” Kagami grumbled. “ _Both_  of you!”

Kuroko shook with silent laughter.

“Karma Taiga-kun.”

“Shut up you. Seriously get off!”

“No.”

“Bark!”

“Ugh.” Well great, he was basically at the bottom of a proverbial food chain right now. Fantastic.

“We’re going to die.” He whined.

“Maybe so.” Kuroko hummed and then looked at Kagami straight in the eyes. “But at least we won’t get cold.”

Kagami sighed and tipped his head to look back on the ceiling.

What a way to go.  


	6. Better luck next time

He hums and sighs and kisses back just as eagerly when Kagami walks them back in to the living room. Not what either of them were planning for their afternoon, but  _neither_  is complaining.

Kagami loops his arms around Kuroko’s waist and lifts his smaller boyfriend up and carries him the last few feet and presses him against the nearest wall.

Kuroko sighs appreciatively and curls his tongue around Kagami’s making his spine tingle in the most pleasant of ways.

He uses his hands to guide Kuroko’s legs around his waist to hold him more comfortably.

They continue to kiss and Kuroko slides his hands in Kagami’s hair, fingers twisting in the strands and tugging gently.

They get more and more into it and Kagami contemplates taking this to the bedroom when Kuroko bites his lip and Kagami decides that  _fuck it_ , he can’t be bothered.

The couch will suffice.

Kagami returns the bite with a deep, long kiss after which they need to part for a moment to catch their breaths, but soon they dive right back.

Soon Kagami’s hands start to go a bit numb from holding Kuroko in one place for so long, so he shifts slightly, never breaking their kiss.

And then they hear an obnoxiously  _loud_  and squeaky sound.

They break apart suddenly, shocked and startled.

Kagami shifts a bit and  _there it is again._  

They stare at each other for a longer moment, blinking and trying to comprehend.

Kagami finally comes out of his daze and looks down.

“What the f-“

And stares at the  _rubber chicken_  he’s currently standing on.

He looks up and sees Kuroko also looking down. He rises his gaze and opens his mouth, probably to say something witty or embarrassing or  _both._

But he doesn’t manage because they both turn their attention to a familiar bark and the sound of claws on the floor when Nigou happily trots into the living room, having heard someone playing with his toy.

He approaches Kagami and sniffs the toy he is standing on before he grabs onto it with his teeth and tried to pull it from under his foot.

“Ow, ow, ow wait,  _wait_  goddamn it!” Kagami swears as his balance is challenged and a hard part of the rubber toy painfully nudges his sole.

“Fuck.” Kagami swears as he almost jumps on one foot, Kuroko still being held up and against the wall and who  _of course_  is amused by all this.

“Stop giggling  _moron_.” He snaps, but it only makes Kuroko laugh more.

Kagami sighs and tipps his head back to look at the ceiling.

_Wonderful_  mood breaker.

“Kagami-kun.”

He looks back and Kuroko smiles at him which can be described as ‘fond’ and kisses him a few times on the mouth.

Well okay it isn’t that ba-

“Put me down please.”

Right.

“Seriously?” Kagami grumbles.

“Yes.  _Seriously_.” Kuroko says firmly but with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He unhooks his legs from around Kagami’s waist and slides down. Kagami has no choice but to release him.

When Kuroko’s feet his the floor, he tip toes and kisses Kagami’s chin playfully, before turning his whole attention to Nigou, who is happily chewing on his favorite toy, having successfully extracted it from under Kagami’s foot.

Kagami lets out a sigh.

_He_ got him that toy.

“C'mere you.” He grumbles while approaching the two, biggest banes of his existence, that he  _absolutely_ cannot live without, and joins them in their playtime. 


	7. Short people problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like this has been done before but I wanted to have my take

“You are the biggest moron I have ever known, you know that?”

Kuroko was silent, pout evident on his face as he clutched a bag of ice to his eye.

Kagami wanted to be angry at him, and he  _was_ , for about total of five minutes, because when that pout appeared on Kuroko’s face and his features turned sour and troubled, Kagami really couldn’t have it in himself to be mad at his boyfriend for his hijinks.

Even if his hijinks backfired and earned him a black eye.

“Seriously.” He sighed and wrapped his hand around Kuroko’s wrist to gently pry the ice bag from his face. “What the hell you were even  _thinking_?”

Kuroko frowned and looked away. The area around his left eye was blue and swollen. It didn’t look too terrible but Kuroko would be walking with a black eye for about a week or so.

“Hey.” Kagami shook the hand he was still holding. “Talk to me dumbass. Why did you sneak up on me?”

Kuroko gave him a look.

“I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.” Kagami retorted immediately. He  _did_. Kagami was picking a shirt from their closet and suddenly Kuroko snuck up on him and startled Kagami to the point that the accidently elbowed him in the eye.

It was the first time that happened. The elbowing, not the sneaking up. Kuroko would apparently  _never_ stop doing that and startle Kagami, but it seemed Kuroko suddenly  _forgot_ that he should move  _away_  and avoid an incoming impact.

“No.” Kuroko denied stubbornly.

“Then what did you do huh?”

To Kagami’s surprise Kuroko turned pink and avoided looking him in the eyes again.

“Kuroko?”

The boy sighed and made a small noise under his breath.

“What? Don’t mumble idiot, I can’t understand you.”

“I said, I  _wanted_  to hug you.”

Silence.

Kagami opened his mouth but he didn’t know what he was supposed to say to this.

“What?”

Kuroko’s pout returned.

“I saw it on tv.”

Kagami blinked a few times and then sighed and dropped his head.

“Well then next time make some noise, so I know you’re behind me.”

“I did.” Kuroko protested. “I thought you heard me.”

Kagami grimaced. He didn’t. Shit okay. It was partially his fault too then.

With a sigh, he cupped Kuroko’s face and rubbed the swollen place under Kuroko’s left eye with his thumb.

“It looks like I hit you.”

“But you did.”

“I meant on purpose!” Kagami blistered. “You’re lucky I didn’t accidently break your stupid nose.”

Kuroko’s mouth lifted in a small smile.

Kagami rubbed his thumb over the swollen place once again and Kuroko closed his eyes with a hum.

He felt like such an ass right now. If he was more observant Kuroko wouldn’t be sporting a black eye because he wanted to hug him.

Kagami shifted and leaned into Kuroko’s personal space. He pressed his lips into Kuroko’s eyelid gently in apology.

“Sorry.” He said and rubbed the tip of his nose over Kuroko’s brow

Kuroko tilted his head a bit, hummed and it felt like he was leaning forward.

“Kagami-kun?”

“Yeah?”

“This hurts.” He said and pushed Kagami’s face away.

Kagami blinked in shock at such  _blatant_  rejection, while Kuroko pressed the ice bag back to his face.

He didn’t have time to get more offended, because Kuroko leaned over Kagami’s shoulder and made himself comfortable.

He looked up at Kagami and gave him a small smirk.

“Please be gentle with me, Kagami-kun. I am  _fragile_.”

He was silent for and then snorted.

“Make some  _more_ noise then, next time dumbass.”

“I  _did_.” Kuroko protested.

Kagami shook his head in resignation and stood up.

“I’ll get you more ice.”


	8. Sharing is caring (sometimes)

“Hmmmm…”

“….”

“ _Hmmmm_ …”

“…”

“Hm-“

“ _Will you-“_ Kagami bristled and caught a drop of his ice cream that threatened to dribble down the side of his cone. “- _quit that out?_ ” He finished and glared at Kuroko.

The boy stopped mid lick of his own vanilla ( _but of course)_ cone and looked up at Kagami.

He twitched under that gaze, hoping that the way he swallowed wasn’t too suspicious and licked his own mint chocolate scoop.

“Stop what?” Kuroko said nibbling at his own cone and hummed happily again.

Kagami grimaced.

“This!” He pointed an accusatory finger at Kuroko.

The boy looked at Kagami, licking the vanilla from his own lips while tilting his head to the side.

“My, Kagami-kun is so indecisive. First he offers to take me out for ice cream and now he tells me to stop eating.” Kuroko said, a hint of pout in his voice and he licked his cone once, eyes carefully on Kagami.

“Not that! Eat it, but eat it like a  _normal_  person!” He grumbled and bit into his wafer.

Kuroko looked at him for a moment and Kagami felt his ears prickle so he averted his gaze. He knew it was too late because he saw the brief sight of that cocky smirk appear on Kuroko’s lips.

Kuroko licked his cone twice, barely containing his smile. And Kagami didn’t even have to  _look_  at him to know that.

“It seems that Kagami-kun is having improper thoughts.” Kuroko said lips nibbling on his sweet treat. “And in  _public_.” He added as if he was disappointed but it was obvious he was making fun of him.

“I wasn’t!” Kagami sputtered and glared at Kuroko who just calmly ate his ice cream.

Well…it wasn’t a  _lie._  He wasn’t a pervert, but Kuroko had a way of turning something completely non sexual into something suggestive and he usually did it when he didn’t even  _mean_  it, and Kagami got annoyed.

Kuroko licked his lips slowly, his tongue was stung red from the cold as were his usually pale lips.

…Okay maybe he had improper thoughts, sue him!

“If you say so.” Kuroko said and circled his tongue around the vanilla scoop, wrapped his red lips around it and pulled.

Kagami wanted to say  _screw you_  but he was afraid Kuroko would use that to his advantage so he only sent him a glare and looked away as if he was really mad at him.

They walked in silence through the park for a moment, both eating before Kuroko spoke.

“Kagami-kun?”

Taiga looked down and saw that Kuroko was raising his cone in Kagami’s direction.

He raised an eyebrow. Ice cream and some other sweets were actually the  _only_  food Kuroko never had problems with finishing so this was surprising.

“Apology.” He said in explanation and gave Kagami a small (genuine) smile.

Kagami just stared at Kuroko before he thrusted the cone in his face more.

“Fine.” He said with a sigh and put a hand on Kuroko’s wrist to steady it, as Kuroko raised on his toes, and bend down to have a taste.

It was…well  _vanilla_. Kuroko rarely had something else unless Kagami forced him to, bought a box for both of them or shared his own desert.

By this time he was so accustomed to it, it  was kind of comforting and soothing.

He got lost a bit in the taste and smell for a moment that he didn’t move away in time when Kuroko smoshed his cone in his face.

“What the-!” Kagami sputtered, annoyed at Kuroko who laughed suddenly.

“I’m sorry.” He said and giggled when he saw Kagami’s nose and upper lip smeared in ice cream. I lost my balance. I’m sorry.” He said laughing and took out a tissue from his jeans pocket intending on wiping the mess.

Kagami snatched it from his hand and wiped his face himself, too annoyed to let him do as he pleased.

“Asshole.” He grumbled under his breath and crumpled the tissue. Kuroko gave him a cheeky smile and leaned into his shoulder for a moment.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

Kuroko pouted.

“I want to try yours too.”

Kagami snorted.

“It’s not enough that you stuck your cone up my nose? No.” He grumbled, protecting his mint-choco treat from Kuroko.

“I said I was  _sorry_.” Kuroko pouted more. “It wasn’t on purpose.”

Kagami glared, but he couldn’t tell him no for long so he only sighed.

“Here.” He held out his half eaten ice cream. “You don’t even like this.”

Kuroko rolled his eyes and leaned to have a taste.

And he nibbled at it  _again._

_Jesus Christ._ Kagami thought and hoped he wasn’t sweating.

Kuroko was enjoying the mint and chocolate mix (for  _some_  reason) when Kagami’s elbow got tired and he moved his hand a bit, accidentally smoshing  _his_ cone in Kuroko’s face this time.

The boy made a surprised noise and it was Kagami’s time to laugh when he saw Kuroko getting messy from the ice cream.

“Sorry.” He said snickering, glad for  _some_ form of karmic justice. Kuroko rolled his eyes and licked the ice cream from his lips and wiped his cheeks with another tissue.

“Ah you missed some.” Kagami said and leaned forward to wipe the droplet of ice cream from the corner of Kuroko’s mouth.

There was a moment of pause where he didn’t know what he should do next. Should he… _lick it?_ Or get a tissue? What even??

Kuroko gave him again a cheeky smile.

“Kagami-kun is thinking about something lewd again.”

“I am not!” Kagami bristled again while Kuroko wiped his hand with a tissue.

“Yes, whatever you-oh Kagami-kun?”

“What?” Kagami snapped.

“Your ice cream is melting.”

Indeed it was. He squeezed the cone too hard (probably when he was bickering with Kuroko) and the remains spilled in his hand. Kagami eyed the mess of cone and ice cream scoop and with a sigh threw it out into the nearby trashcan.

Kuroko was already holding a pack of tissues but Kagami looked at his messy hand, then at Kuroko and then at his hand again.

He shrugged and grabbed Kuroko’s palm with his sticky one and looked at him challengingly.

Kuroko was unimpressed.

“Really?”

Kagami shrugged.

“This isn’t fazing me at all.” He said calmly, but Kagami could see the mild disgust on his face and he grinned. So what if this was elementary school level of flirting. Maybe even kindergarten.

Kuroko nodded solemnly and sighed.

And pulled Kagami into the opposite direction.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.” Kuroko said. “I see Kagami-kun is suffering from unresolved sexual tension so I will volunteer and help him in resolving it.”

“I do NOT!” Kagami yelled, at the top of his lungs, red in the face. Kuroko didn’t say anything just kept pulling him forward. Kagami sighed in defeat. No point in arguing.

He matched Kuroko’s pace and they headed home, sticky hands still firmly clasped together. 


	9. Little things

The first time Kagami took Kuroko to an American amusement park he was in shock by the sheer  _size_  of it.

He saw so many stalls with food (they all had to be checked by Kagami of course and Kuroko would sneakily take a bite from this and that because he wanted to try, but he didn’t want to buy portions  _this_  large), various rides (they tried almost everything, except for the bigger rollercoaster’s, because even Kagami wasn’t as reckless to try that on a full stomach) and performances, that his head was beginning to spin.

His favorite though, were the games.

Both he and Kagami did well, just at different types. Kagami excelled when strength or aim were tested and Kuroko was good at those which required precision and a lot of observation.

Problem was that the American amusement parks were mostly famous for the former type, so Kuroko didn’t have many chances to prove himself.

Kagami on the other hand won  _lots_. He was able to ring the bell at the top of the high striker, no problem. He won the one with shooting a basketball into the hoop, on time (obviously) and string ducks out with a baseball ball.

He even explained to Kuroko how to ‘cheat’ the system since the balls were sometimes uneven, but the vendor heard them and told them angrily to leave without a prize.

Not that, that was a problem, since Kagami’s backpack was already filled with key chains, coupons for food and rides and discounts for various stores which would probably go to Alex anyway.

But so far, no prize won by Kuroko.

Specifically, no prize won by Kuroko  _for_ Kagami.

“Why are you pouting.” He was pulled out of his thoughts by Kagami’s hand ruffling his hair.

“I’m not.” Kuroko slapped the hand away. “I’m just looking around.”

Kagami didn’t press further. Tetsuya tried to spot an interesting game he could play and win something for his boyfriend as well.

He saw a small stall, next to the hotdog stand. It had a laser tag game. Kuroko stopped to look at the participants. The game was basically like a the one with baseballs, only that you stood on a platform which swayed. It looked fairly easy, but not many people managed to win prizes.

He turned to Kagami to ask him if they could try that one and he saw him already looking at the stall. Kuroko followed his gaze and saw that he was eyeing the big, red octopus plush and he had to hide a smile.

Kagami would never ask for winning a prize for him in the first place and he would obviously try very hard to pretend he didn’t want the toy.

“Let’s go.” Kuroko pulled at his shirt and walked up to the stall. Kagami followed suit and they paid for their game and received their plastic guns.

The game only looked easy, it was actually pretty challenging for both of them. Kagami had good aim, but problems with staying on the platform, while Kuroko could stay on without bigger problems, but as usual his aim was a bit off.

It still was easier than with a basketball or baseballs, but he lost when he run out of time.

Kagami managed to score a few shots, and thus win another prize.

Kuroko couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“Here’s your prize.” The vendor gave Kagami the thing he won.

“What? Only this?” Kagami said in disbelief when he looked at the vendor. “For that amount of money?”

The man only shrugged and waved him off.

“Get lost kid. I have customers.”

Kagami scoffed in disbelief and Kuroko saw that he was almost ready to argue, so he pulled him by the arm. He had no desire for arguments today.

“What a jerk.” Kagami said when they were a considerable distance away. Not that he’d hear them through all this noise, but you could never be too careful.

Kuroko steered Kagami into the popcorn stand.

“It’s fine Taiga-kun. You told me those games were scams anyway.”

“Yeah but I wanted to win you something better than this!” He said and Kuroko for the first time saw what was the prize Kagami had won.

It was a plastic ring, kind like the ones attached to magazines for little girls. It had a huge, red center imitating a ruby probably in a rim colored in gold.

It looked very gaudy and cheap.

Kuroko could understand Kagami’s frustration since they did pay a bit for the laser tag game.

“Kagami-kun.” Kuroko sighed when his boyfriend kept sulking. “You already won me so many things today.”

“Yeah and?” Kagami said, while playing with the prize.

“And nothing. I think I can manage.”

Kagami suddenly looked sheepish and Tetsuya felt a little guilty.

They were silent for a moment in which Kuroko tried to find the right words and then his gaze fell onto the gaudy ring in Kagami’s hand.

Kagami followed his gaze and flushed slightly.

“I uh, you want me to give it to some kid or something?”

Kuroko hummed and then extended his hand.

“No.”

Kagami gaped at him for a moment.

“Well? It’s my ring.” Kuroko said and meaningfully looked at Kagami.

“I…you want me to?”

Kuroko nodded.

Kagami looked around for a moment, but no one paid them any mind, despite the sizable crowd.

Kuroko thought the joke would loosen up Kagami, but he didn’t expect for it to have an effect on him.

Kagami took his hand gently, a little  _too_ gently, and slipped the gaudy ring on his ring finger.

It shouldn’t mean anything to either of them. Neither even had any mind to consider it, because they were still so slowly getting used to being not only friends, and were constantly learning new things about each other.

Kagami’s hands stilled and when Kuroko looked up, he saw embarrassment.

Kagami coughed awkwardly when Kuroko inspected the ring closely.

“It’s not that bad.” He said. “Maybe I’ll keep it as a keychain.”

Kagami rolled his eyes and the red flush was slowly draining from his face.

Kuroko was about to suggest some snacks for them while he pulled the ring of his hand, but then stopped mid sentence when he felt pain.

“What?” Kagami asked confused.

“I-” Kuroko paused and tried pulling the ring off. “I can’t get it off.”

Kagami blinked while Kuroko kept struggling with the arcade prize, until he made a small noise of pain.

“Hey, hey, stop that. Show me.” Kagami said and grabbed Kuroko’s hand.

“Idiot. You wanna hurt yourself?”

Kuroko huffed annoyed.

“Don’t pout.” He told him and started looking around.

“Come on.” Kuroko was pulled by the hand in an opposite direction from where they came.

Kagami lead him to the nearest restroom stall and they slipped inside.

“Kagami-kun?”

“I hope this dump has soap.” He muttered and looked around one of the sinks. Thankfully there was a soap dispenser.

Kagami turned on the warm ( _lukewarm)_ water and pumped on some of the creamy liquid.

“It’s probably stuck because it’s old.” He said when he soaped around ring on Kuroko’s hand, rubbing it gently.

“That hurts.” Tetsuya complained when the plastic band didn’t want to slide off of his hand.

“Well, that’s what you get for being a little shit.” Kagami snorted and added a bit more soap.

Kuroko rolled his eyes.

“This wouldn’t be an issue if Taiga-kun gave me a ring  _years ago._ ” He teased.

Kagami’ mouth dropped and his hand stopped, just when the ring slipped from Tetsuya’s hand and into the sink with a clang.

Kuroko expected for Kagami to sputter and turn red and call him an embarrassing idiot as he always did, but while his cheeks dusted in red, he stayed uncharacteristically silent.

“Taiga-kun?” Kuroko asked a bit alarmed. It was a joke obviously, but he thought that he may have actually hurt his boyfriend’s feelings.

Kagami let go of Kuroko’s hand and rinsed his hands from the suds in silence. Kuroko did the same.

Kagami picked up the plastic ring from the sink and dropped it in Kuroko’s palm.

Finally, he sighed.

“You really think I’d give you a ring from a carnival?”

Kuroko raised an eyebrow at the scandalized tone.

“Taiga-kun it was a  _joke._ Do you not have a sense of humor?”

“I do!” Finally, Kagami was back to his own self, as he raised his voice and threw up his arms in the air.

“It just seems that your sense of humor and my sense of humor are  _not_ compatible.“

"You hurt me.” Kuroko said and smiled when Kagami rolled his eyes at him. He hid the ring in his pocket. They wiped their hands on the rest of the paper towels which could be found.

“Done? Okay let’s go I wanna try some other games too, maybe I’ll win you something normal this time.”

“Actually.” Kuroko stopped him as soon as he stopped talking.

“Actually, I thought maybe this time  _I_ could win something for  _you.”_

Kagami looked at Kuroko in confusion for a long moment.

“For  _me?”_

Kuroko raised an eyebrow.

“Is that so surprising?”

Kagami rubbed the back of his neck and fidgeted, but he didn’t say anything for a moment.

“You don’t like it?”

Kuroko sighed.

“Not the point.” He shook his head.

“The American tradition, I believe,” He started “Is that the boyfriend wins prizes for the girlfriend on a fair, correct?” It was what Kuroko gathered from American movies at least.

“Uh, yeah I guess? I don’t really have any experience so…” Kagami trailed off.

“Exactly.” Kuroko smiled slightly. “And neither of us is a girl. So, don’t you think it should be a bit more equal?”

Kuroko watched as Kagami’s expression went from confusion to guilt.

“I’m not saying I don’t like it. I’m saying I want to do it too. You don’t need to be self-sufficient all the time.”

Kagami sighed and looked away.

“Sorry it’s just…I don’t really have many people I can do this kind of things for? And even when I do, those people are not always around.”

Kuroko gave him a small smile.

“Small things Taiga-kun. We can start with that.”

He shrugged. “Besides there’s nothing I really want anyway.”

Kuroko sighed internally. Not like  _he_ needed anything from the carnival.

“I saw how you eyed the red octopus.”

Kagami whipped his head to look at Kuroko.

“No, you didn’t!” He hissed, face red as his hair. “I mean  _I didn’t!_ ”

Kuroko’s mouth curled into a smirk.

“It would be a good addition to your collection.”

“I do  _not_  have a collection!” Kagami bristled.

“Ah, I actually won you this tiger one time. Maybe they can be friends.”

“Shut up. That was five years ago!” Kagami sputtered and went for the familiar head grab. Kuroko was ready for a side jab when both of them paused when they heard a sound of toilet flushing and a squeaking sound of door opening.

A man, around fifty, appeared in one of the stalls and gave them a disapproving look. He washed his hands and walked out of the restroom, all the time side-eying them.

The silence stretched for a moment after the metal doors closed, muting the carnival sounds, which briefly filled the restroom when the doors opened.

Kuroko saw a shift in Kagami’s expression and he just  _knew_ what was coming.

They burst out laughing at the same time; Kagami loud and bouncing off the walls and Kuroko’s way quieter but just bubbling right out of him.

“What was that?” Kagami asked after he got himself under control and wiped the few stray tears from the corner of his eyes.

Kuroko chuckled and shook his head.

“I guess it’s good that not everyone here understands Japanese.”

Kagami snorted.

“Yeah, still not a place for a conversation like this, don’t you think?”

“Mm, agreed.”

They fell silent for a moment. Kagami moved first and took Kuroko’s hand. He inspected the red bruising the plastic ring left on his pale finger.

“Hey.” Kagami said and laced their fingers together. “Let’s get out of here.”

Kuroko nodded.

“Where to?”

Kagami pondered the question, before pulling him out of the restroom.

“I want you to win me that octopus.”

Kuroko laughed again.

“Anything for you.”


	10. Don’t ignore me

Kagami dropped heavily on the beach towel next to Kuroko and grinned when the boy grumbled something, shifted away to protect his book from droplets of salty water.

He didn’t stop reading though.

Kagami couldn’t understand  _what_  book could be more interesting than a sunny, beautiful day on the beach, swimming in the sea or playing water polo.

Or goddamn spending time with your  _boyfriend_.

Kuroko seemed to have other priorities.

The boy sighed and turned a page.

Kagami didn’t blame him for staying out of the sunlight. Kuroko had fair skin which burned easily in the sun and even if he put a double amount of sunscreen on he still had to be careful.

So he wore light hoodies with nothing underneath and sometimes a straw hat to protect himself from the heat (but none of this was able to protect Kagami from the sheer adorableness of this look unfortunately). He would sometimes venture into the water, waist deep at most to cool himself down, before he’d return to his regular spot under their big parasol and read.

Speaking of sunscreen.

“Hey.” Kagami said and grabbed the bottle of UV lotion from their thermal bag. “When was the last time you put this on?” He asked while opening the bottle.

“Hm?” Kuroko sounded distracted as he turned another page.  “I don’t remember.”

Kagami sighed and with one hand grabbed the top of Kuroko’s hoodie and pulled it down and off. The boy didn’t stop reading even for a second. He only propped the book over his bent knees while his palms rested flat on the towel on his sides to held Kagami slip the article of clothing.

Kagami squirted some of the lotion on his palms, rubbed it for a moment to warm it up and then put his palms on Kuroko’s shoulders and slowly rubbed it down over his arms.

Kuroko hummed quietly, but didn’t move otherwise.

Kagami squeezed a bit more of the stuff and applied it to Kuroko’s back, hands running over his pointed shoulder blades, and then down lower over each bump of Kuroko’s spine until he arrived at the small of his back, where the skin disappeared into Kuroko’s swim trunks.

Kagami lifted his head and saw that Kuroko was already watching him over his shoulder, cheeky smile on his face.

“That’s very distracting.”

_Good._ Kagami wanted to say but he didn’t and only continued.

“Done?” Kuroko asked casually after a few minutes, but to Kagami it sounded almost like a  _challenge_.

“Your front?”

Kuroko closed his eyes and sighed in fond exasperation as he shook his head.

“I can do that myself.” He said and grabbed the bottle. Finally, the blasted book was put aside as Kuroko started putting on sunscreen on his chest and stomach, but out of Kagami’s sight.

When Kuroko was done he put the bottle away and wiped his hands in a spear towel they had with them.

Kagami moved closer and rested his chin on the top of Kuroko’s head wanting to rest for a few more minutes. Kagami’s chest brushed Kuroko’s back and he sighed in relief. Despite it being probably over 30 degrees, Kuroko still felt a little cool to the touch so the feel of his skin was very pleasant.

“What about you?” Kuroko said, bumping Kagami’s chin gently after a longer moment of silence.

“Later.” He said and bent his head down to press a chaste kiss over Kuroko’s shoulder. Thankfully the skin absorbed the lotion and all Kagami tasted was the feel of salty skin.

Kuroko hummed something and after a moment picked up his earlier discarded book.

Kagami raised an eyebrow.

“Are you  _really_  going to read?”

“Mmh.” Kuroko hummed and got more comfortable against Kagami as if he was a beach chair and not a human being.

Kagami looked at Kuroko for a moment, feeling mildly offended and then he got an idea.

He reached with his hand to close the book and before Kuroko could protest picked him up.

“That was  _rude._ ” Kuroko protested as he writhed in Kagami’s arms.

“Not more than ignoring me.” Kagami retorted, slung Kuroko over his shoulder and quickly made his way towards the water.

“Kagami-kun!” Kuroko almost,  _almost_ yelled and kicked his feet. He most certainly  _did_  yell when Kagami tumbled them into water at once.

“Stop!” He protested and splashed some water in Kagami’s face who didn’t wait long to return the favor. In a matter of seconds Kuroko forgot about his dumb book as they launched into a full fledged water fight. At least for a while.

Much as Kagami forgot to apply  _his_  sunscreen.


	11. Terrible teacher

Whose ever idea it was (he couldn’t remember at this moment), was certainly a grade A moron.

Kagami didn’t want to acknowledge that  _he_  might be the moron in question, that actually offered to teach Kuroko how to surf.

The sea was pretty calm today so Taiga thought it was a perfect day for the lesson.

Wrong.

Kuroko didn’t have problems getting the basics, and even though he would shake like a leaf and clutch at Taiga’s hands when he would practice standing on the board or he would get tired quickly while swimming out in the open water he did  _fine_. For the most part.

But he couldn’t keep his balance for long when Taiga would let go of his hands and he would fall into water with a splash.

The first few times it was definitely accidental and Kagami rushed to catch his boyfriend and save him from drowning or just getting a mouthful of salty water.

But because Kuroko was a little shit who had a surprisingly (was it even surprising at this point?) playful streak, and by the tenth time he let out a deadpanned ‘ah I’m falling’ and plopped in Kagami’s arms  _on purpose,_ he decided to call it quits.

“Okay.” He let the little shit go and watched him swim around. “Enough of your dicking around.” He grumbled and grabbed his board.

Kuroko’s mouth quirked up in a smirk.

“I don’t understand what you mean.” He said faux innocence in his voice.

“You damn well do.” He grumbled. Kuroko swam up to him. They were out in the open waters but still in within the acceptable range of the lifeguards. the water was still too deep for Kuroko who had to swim in place while Kagami could plant his feet firmly on the ground without much effort.

Kagami sighed.

“Let’s just go back.” He said and went to grab Kuroko by the hand to pull him forward.

Just then a stronger than usual wave hit them and propelled them forward.

Taiga managed to stay on his feet but his heart stopped for a moment when he felt Kuroko’s hand slip from between his fingers.

When he turned around the boy was gone.

Kagami felt his stomach drop and his legs turn weak. He managed to rasp out a scared 'Kuroko’ one time before he heard a weak cough behind him.

“Don’t scare me like this!” Kagami hissed grabbing Kuroko’s wrists and pulled him closer to himself.

Kuroko let him and rolled his eyes.

“Taiga-kun I didn’t even go under. The wave simply hit me by surprise.”

“ _Even_?! Jesus Tetsuya.” Kagami sighed and shook his head.

“Okay, you know what? Enough surfing lessons at least for today. Get on the board, I’ll push it.”

Kuroko opened his mouth to say something but then he froze while his eyes widened.

“What? Don’t stand there.” Kagami grumbled and made a move to wrap his arms around Kuroko’s waist. He planned on hoisting the boy up and sitting him down on his surfboard because it seemed he still wasn’t done being a nuisance.

Kuroko’s eyes widened more and he grabbed Kagami’s wrist stopping him.

“Please…wait.”

“What?” Kagami was confused. “Listen we’re not gonna do much here, the waves are getting too strong to practice and I can see you’re tired so just stop and-”

“I can’t go out of the water.”

Kagami blinked.

“What?”

Kuroko was still for a moment and then he pulled Kagami’s hand under water.

Kagami did not understand what his boyfriend was about when his fingers brushed the smooth, cool skin of his thigh.

His  _thigh_.

His  _bare_  thigh.

Hi bare thigh which was supposed to be clad in his  _swim trunks_.

“Wh-” Kagami opened his mouth but he immediately fell silent when he saw Kuroko’s glare and how his face turned pink from embarrassment.

“What the hell Tetsuya.” Kagami couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t tell me this small wave pulled them off.”

Kuroko glared and blushed harder. He let go of Kagami’s hand and splashed some water in his face.

That didn’t manage to stop Kagami from grinning at his boyfriend.

“Taiga-kun is awful.” Kuroko grumbled and hid behind Kagami’s back when a group of people swam by them. Not like anyone would notice.

“Oh, come on.” Kagami protested. “You know you’d be having a field day if this happened to me.”

Kuroko didn’t answer but he kept sulking. It was true though.

“Okay.” Kagami yielded. “Let’s get out of here.”

Kuroko raised his head and looked at Kagami with his best  _are you for real_? face.

“I can’t go out like this. It would be indecent.”

“It’s not like anyone would notice.” Kagami pointed out the obvious. Well aside from him.

“It is  _still_  indecent.” Kuroko protested.

“Then what do you want to do? Hibernate here?”

Kuroko sighed and shook his head.

“You could get me a towel please.”

“And leave you here alone so you can get pulled by another wave? No way. Come here.”

Kuroko yelped when Kagami wrapped one arm around Kuroko’s waist while the other supported the underside of his knees.

He was even lighter than usual like this.

Kuroko glared at Kagami as he tried to cover his intimate spots as if Kagami never saw him naked in his life and he had to roll his eyes. This was a beach. Things like these happened. He saw girls who lost their bikini tops and would laugh about it while they covering themselves. Obviously, it wasn’t intentional (he thought) so no one really cared about it.

“Now okay?”

“I’m still exposed.” Kuroko hissed.

“Then carry the board, Jesus.” Kagami gestured to it with his head and Kuroko reluctantly grabbed the red surfboard he got from Tatsuya for his last birthday.

That wasn’t a very good idea. It would be easier to just carry Kuroko without him trying to also carry the surfboard and cover himself. Honestly it would be even easier if Kuroko would just sneak back to their towel. Tt’s not like anyone would notice him if he was stealthy enough.

But yeah, okay Kuroko was a modest weirdo sometimes and Kagami just had to accept it.

Doesn’t mean he had to accept him smacking his hip  _with the surfboard_.

“Ow! Watch it.” Kagami growled.

“It wasn’t on  _purpose_.”

“It still hurt.” He snapped back and then sighed in relief when they reached their spot. Kagami had a suspicion they were making more of a scene like this.

He managed to only set Kuroko down and he immediately grabbed the largest towel they brought and wrapped himself in it so fast Kagami didn’t even manage to  _see_  it much else react.

Kagami snorted and sat down on the blanket next to Kuroko who send him a sharp glare, from under all the folds of cotton. This actually ruined the impact.

That and the fact that Kagami  _knew_ he was naked under there.

“Please, stop leering.”

“I’m  _not_  leering.” Kagami rolled his eyes.

“Then stop laughing.”

“It’s  _funny_.”

Kuroko pouted and Kagami sighed.

“Get out of that towel, you’re going to boil.”

Kuroko moved away from Kagami’s outstretched hand.

“I am  _indecent.”_

“Seriously?” Kagami dropped his hand and shrugged when his boyfriend continued to glare at him, clearly embarrassed.

Kagami sighed and rummaged through their bags for some water. They sat in silence, and Kagami observed from the corner of his eye as Kuroko tried to put on his underwear while still wrapped in their towel. He  _would_ offer his help, but he felt like Kuroko would get even more aggravated so he didn’t say anything.

Kuroko sighed frustrated when the towel kept slipping and he became more and more tangled in it and his clothes.

Finally, Kagami opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped when something caught his eye.

“Hey.” Kuroko lifted up his head to look at Kagami.

“Aren’t those your…” He made a gesture towards the shore and Kuroko followed his gaze and his eyes widened.

Kagami couldn’t help but snort when Kuroko’s cheeks flared, when he saw his swim trunks wash out on the shore.

He gave Kagami another glare.

“I’ll get them.” He said and stood up amused.

“ _Kagami-kun_.” Kuroko hissed after him, but Kagami ignored him. He jogged up to the shore, bend down and snatched the misbehaving swimwear. No one cared either way and he had to laugh under his breath.

He turned around and went back to their shared blanket but stopped in his tracks when he saw that Kuroko was missing.

Him and  _all_  the towels, their bag  _and_ Kagami’s own set of clothes.

“Oi!” Kagami yelled and that definitely turned heads in his direction.

Kagami flushed when some girls gave him strange looks when they saw him holding a pair of swim trunks.

“Asshole.” Kagami muttered to himself and sighed.

Morons. Both of them were morons.


	12. Accidents happen

For this year’s training summer camp Riko managed to secure a better inn for them. Thanks to the sponsors they gained after the winter cup they could afford to go to an inn which didn’t look like it would fall apart if someone barely sneezed  _and_  they didn’t have to cook for themselves.

Riko was a bit bummed because of this, but the rest of the Seirin players were happy they could focus only on basketball.

Well, not  _every_ player.

Kuroko, and Kagami by extension, would be the two athletes most unhappy with the current summer camp.

Not because they hated camps, not because of Riko’s grueling training and  _not_  because they suddenly turned lazy.

It was simply because Kuroko couldn’t play.

Because two days prior, instead of resting as Riko ordered them to, he and Kagami went out in the late evening to practice a new technique Kuroko came up with, but because it was dark and it rained a few hours prior, Kuroko collided with Kagami, slipped, fell and twisted his ankle in the process.

It wasn’t broken thankfully, just sprained, as it turned out later, but it still hurt and would mean Kuroko wouldn’t be able to walk without a crutch for a while (two weeks exactly, which just  _so_ happened to be the duration of the camp).

Kagami felt guilty because he wanted to help Kuroko with his new move and if not for him, Kuroko would be able to take part in the camp.

Riko was of course furious and promised Kuroko a practice from hell the moment he would recover.

On the day of the camp everyone was a little sour, Kagami especially but as it turned out Kuroko managed to convince his parents to go to the camp despite his injury.

Riko wanted to protest, but Kuroko actually  _threatened_  that if he’d have to stay so would Nigou and their coach caved. It also probably had to do with Kuroko’s typical stubbornness.

Kuroko wasn’t completely helpless thankfully. He could walk with his crutch and dress himself. Even if he was a bit slower than usual, he managed. The worst thing was that he couldn’t play and practice as he wanted to and it dampened his humor.

They arrived in the inn around ten in the morning and Riko checked them in. She said that they would be sleeping in one big room while she got a small adjacent one for herself. She ordered them to get settled and then met her in the nearby gym.

Of course to do that they had to first get to their room and to do that they had to climb a flight of stairs.

Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem for Kuroko, but Kagami saw how the crutch was giving him problems even with a few stairs, but the alternative of him hopping awkwardly on one foot would be more risky.

Taiga sighed as the rest of Seirin members disappeared at the top of the stairscase leaving him and Kuroko at the bottom.

Kuroko adjusted his bag and put his healthy leg forward.

He didn’t make it far, because Kagami put a hand on his shoulder halting him.

“Wait.”

Kuroko looked at him quizzically. Kagami grabbed his bag and in few strides made it to the top of the staircase and then back.

“I’ll help you.”

“That’s-”

“Shut up. C'mere.”

Kagami took Kuroko’s crutch and set it aside.

“Hold on.” He said while wrapping an arm around Kuroko’s waist and then putting one under his knees and lifting him up.

Kuroko’s eyes went wide for a moment, before he gave Kagami a slight glare.

“What?” he sputtered as he started to climb up. “It’s easier like this.”

“For you or for me?” Kuroko asked and Kagami felt a slight pang of guilt.

“I can still walk on my own.” Kuroko continued when Kagami stayed silent.

“Yeah, but it would took you the whole morning and I guess you  _do_ want to see the training right?”

This time it was Kuroko who stayed silent.

He set Kuroko down when they reached the top and then made his way down for his crutch.

“Thank you.” Kuroko said when he took it from him. “And I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.” He picked up his bag.

“Uh, yeah actually it kinda is.” He said and picked his own bag. He let Kuroko move on his own but he stayed close by to make sure he didn’t fall or hurt his leg even more.

When Kuroko swayed Kagami grabbed him by the arm.

“Hm, maybe.” Kuroko said and let Kagami keep his hold on him. “But to me it was more like a team effort.”

Kagami stared at him for a moment. Kuroko gave him a cheeky smile and patted his chest and headed towards the team’s shared room.

Kagami sighed.

“At least let me help you with the futon.”

* * *

Everyone knew that Kuroko hated feeling useless and considering his current state he wasn’t able to take active part in the training camp.

That’s why Riko ordered him to note every observation he could catch during every practice game and exercise.

Kagami knew it was partially to give him something to do and partially to make him not think of the guilt which he was swimming in because he was stubborn.

Well,  _both_ of them were really.

If anything, Taiga sometimes thought  _he_  felt more guilty than Kuroko that’s why he tried to make up for it.

Thankfully, Kuroko was more than capable of taking care of himself, and for the most part he struggles very little with any daily activity.

He even denied Kagami’s help in walking down the flight of stairs the next morning, even if it took him longer than usual and he entered the gym when everyone was already done with their warm up.

Kagami opened his bleary eyes and saw that it was still mostly dark in the shared room. His ears were filled with sleepy mumbles and snores of his teammates, but that still didn’t answer why he woke up. He frowned and then startled when he felt something shift at his back.

“Kuro-” He stopped mid sentence while rolling over when he came face to face with an empty futon.

That woke him up.

“Kuroko?” He said, a bit alerted. He understood that Kuroko could take care of himself, but if he wanted to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night he still should wake Taiga up, because there was  _no light_ in the hallway.

Yeah the inn was only  _slightly_  better than the previous one.

“Where are you?” He hissed through his teeth and then to his surprise, the duvet moved and he saw Kuroko’s bed head, laying considerably lower on the futon.

Kagami blinked.

“The hell are you doing?” He said.

“Trying to get comfortable.”

Kagami regarded him for a moment.

“Then where’s your pillow?”

Kuroko wordlessly lifted the duvet and showed Kagami. The pillow magically changed positions and now rested under Kuroko’s foot.

Specifically, under his hurt foot.

Kagami frowned.

“Does it hurt?”

“A little.” Kuroko admitted and dropped his head on the futon with a dull thud. Kagami rolled his eyes.

“Come here.” He lifted his own blanket and moved so that there was place for Kuroko.

Kuroko hesitated for a moment, so Kagami grabbed him by the waist and unceremoniously put him on his own mat.

He took Kuroko’s pillow and folded his cover and put them under Kuroko’s leg. He knew that the higher it would be the better the blood flow and it would hurt less. He  _knew_  how it went. He’d been there.

Kuroko shifted so that Kagami would have most of the pillow for himself, but Taiga stopped him.

“Where are you going?” He whispered and tucked Kuroko under his chin.

Kuroko stilled then when Kagami covered them both with his blanket.

“Nowhere.” He admitted after a longer pause.

Kagami grunted and buried his face in Kuroko’s hair.

“Then sleep.” He said gruffly.

The boy hummed while snuggling closer. He couldn’t really turn on his side due to his leg, so Kagami draped an arm around his middle and after a moment they were both asleep.

* * *

Next time Kagami woke up it was definitely morning, since when he opened his eye he was blinded by the sun.

Screwing his eyes shut he turned and buried his face in something soft and sweet smelling.

It wasn’t his pillow for sure.

“Hey, where’s Kuroko?”

It was Fukuda and Kagami was suddenly aware that everyone was awake except of him and Kuroko, snuggled in his arms.

Normally, he’d be up even before the sun, but he always slept better (and deeper) with Kuroko by his side, thus he wasn’t the first to wake this time around.

“I dunno, maybe he went to the bathroom?” Koga-senpai said.

Kagami blinked a few times, looked down and snorted quietly. The little dumbass, slid down under the duvet and only the top of his hair was visible.

Kagami lifted the cover and was met with laughing, blue and very much awake eyes.

Kuroko brought a finger to his mouth and made a slight shushing noise before he mouthed  _five more minutes_  and pressed his cheek to Kagami’s chest.

It sounded tempting and Taiga gave in and closed his eyes.

The bliss lasted for all of ten seconds before they were found and yelled on by Hyuga.

Well, actually  _he_  was. Kuroko was suddenly missing.

And so Kagami was the only one who had to run ten laps before breakfast because of his captain’s single-ness induced jealousy.

“Asshole.” Kagami muttered when he saw Kuroko waiting for him after his last lap at the entrance to the inn.

The boy only gave him a smile and towel and wordlessly took his hand in his and squeezed.

“Let’s go eat.”


	13. Spoons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it’s been a while huh? Well, anyway I finally managed to spit out something and it’s not terrible lmao.
> 
> this is for [hillary](http://archiveofourown.org/users/boats_birds) who’s birthday was on the 27th of November and I am so late and so embarrassed. Also this is not the fic I was writing for you, but I wanted to post something and write you something so let’s start small for now heh.
> 
> Happy Late birthday again hon <3

“Goodnight.” Kuroko said into the hollow of Kagami’s throat and after Kagami nodded sleepily, he flipped onto his side and molded his back to Kagami’s front.

Taiga, despite being already half asleep, wrapped his arms around Kuroko’s waist and pressed his nose to Kuroko’s nape, inhaling the faint scent of soap.

It was how they usually slept in Taiga’s bed. It might have been enough space for one person, but two people had to work around and to fit together.

Not that either minded and not like this was some sort of a disadvantage in any way.

Twenty minutes after Kuroko got comfortable and his breath began to even out, Taiga realized that he was  _not_  falling asleep.

Something was off.

“What’s wrong?” Tetsuya mumbled into his pillow when he sensed Kagami’s arms tensing around his waist.

“Nothing.” He answered immediately and closed his eyes. “Let’s sleep.”

Kuroko hummed and went quiet.

Kagami tried very hard to fall asleep. Kuroko was warm and comfortable in his arms, his pillow was not too cool and not too hot and he was mad tired after a whole day of practice.

Yet he couldn’t sleep.

It wasn’t unusual for Kagami to have trouble falling asleep before a game or when he had a test or just when something was bothering him, but they didn’t have a game tomorrow or a test and nothing was bothering him, as far as he knew.

Was it Kuroko?

But that was ridiculous.

Kagami himself commented on the fact that since they started well sharing a bed, he slept better than before.

Kagami was considering various options, instead of trying and sleep loosing precious time till morning, when he hear a tired sigh.

Kuroko squirmed out of his grip, sat up and turned on the light which made Kagami squint painfully.

“Kagami-kun. Talk.” He gave Taiga a stern look which combined with his terrible bed hair looked comical.

Kagami shrugged.

“I just can’t sleep.”

“Why.”

“I don’t-” He stopped mid sentence when Kuroko raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not comfortable.” He finished with a sigh when it dawned on him.

“Alright.” Kuroko nodded. “How?”

Kagami opened his mouth and then blushed. Kuroko raised an eyebrow again. Damn it, he was just too sleepy and had no inhibitions.

“Well.” Kuroko looked at the clock at the bedside table. “It is late but if you want we can-”

“What?!” Kagami sputtered when Kuroko grabbed the duvet and pulled. “No!” Kagami said quieter now, feeling like an embarrassed moron that he was.

“How would  _that_  make me comfortable?” He said and covered himself again.

Kuroko shrugged.

“I don’t know, but I thought you would-” He trailed off and this time it was his time to blush.

Kagami rubbed the side of his face.

“No. It’s fine. I just….can we change places?”

“Places?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want me to sleep by the wall?”

“What? No that’s not what I meant I mean-” He clapped his mouth shut, closed his eyes and sighed and then turned on his side.

“Like this.”  He mumbled and was glad that Kuroko wasn’t able to see his red face. Not like that would be anything new anyway.

He expected to be teased, but then he heard how the bedside lamp was turned off softly, the duvet lifted and a warm, small body pressed against his back.

Kuroko didn’t say anything, just adjusted himself better, chest fitting over Kagami’s back and his arm wrapping over his waist. His breath puffed over his nape and Taiga shivered.

Then there was a kiss and he felt a cold nose brushing over the skin there.

“Your feet are damn cold.” Kagami said when their legs tangled together and Kuroko huffed.

It was strange not having anything to hold so Kagami gripped a pillow.

“Sleep.” He felt fingers raking over his scalp for a moment and then he was out cold.

Kagami slept like a log, warm and safe even though he was almost two meters tall and lifted weights which weighted more than Kuroko himself, yet his loose grip made him feel sort of small but not in a bad way.

He wondered if that’s how Kuroko felt.

Everything was wonderful and comfortable, until a loud thud woke Kagami from his slumber.

He blinked sleepily and looked around the room.

He shivered when he noticed the lack of the additional source of warmth in his bed.

Then there was a noise which sounded like an exclamation of pain.

Kagami looked down and saw Kuroko sitting on the floor.

“Tetsuya? What are you doing there?”

Kuroko sighed and stood on his knees.

“You pushed me.” He said his voice weary and hoarse with sleep.

Kagami blinked and then his eyes widened.

“Oh shit.”

Kuroko huffed in the darkness and got onto the bed.

“I’m sorry.” Kagami said and felt like he wanted to die from embarrassment. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Kuroko dismissed him.

Kagami groaned.

“Please move.”

“Ye-huh? What are you doing?” He asked when Kuroko draped his legs over Kagami to get to the other side of the bed, so that now he was against the wall.

“Getting comfortable. Come here please.” He said and spread his arms wide for Kagami.

“But-”

“I’m against the wall now. I won’t fall. Let’s sleep.” He encouraged him and Kagami had no option but do as he said.

When Kagami finally got comfortable, Kuroko behind him, his arm dangling over his chest and legs tangled and the shorter boy’s breath puffing softly over his nape, that he was able to fall into some semblance of a guiltless sleep.

That is until he woke and realized that he was probably pressing Kuroko quite uncomfortably to the wall.   

“Crap. You okay?” He said and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

“Aside from crushed internal organs?” Came the muffled reply.

Kagami moved away like lightning from the wall and when he turned he saw his smaller boyfriend plastered to the wall in a sort of starfish position, but otherwise he looked unharmed.

“Ha ha.” Kagami snapped sarcastically at Kuroko’s smirk.

“Did you sleep well?” he said while sitting up and rubbing his shoulder.

“Yeah. But, let’s  _not_  repeat that.”

“Why?” Kuroko tilted his head curiously. “It wasn’t so bad?”

Kagami made a face and turned his head away feeling the awkwardness creeping into his limbs.

“Besides, I enjoyed it.”

“What? Getting your internal organs crushed?” Kagami asked while getting out of the bed.

“Holding you.”

Taiga went silent and looked at Kuroko, one leg out and one still on the bed. He tried to find some traces of teasing in his gaze but he couldn’t.

And that was worse.

“Right.” He coughed awkwardly. “I’ll go start on breakfast.”

Kuroko slipped into the kitchen silently twenty minutes later and wrapped himself around Taiga like a snake.

It made Kagami roll his eyes and pat him on the hand which was gripping his shirt.

“Watch out for the oil.”

There was a nod, a yawn and then a slump.

Taiga snorted.

Seems like someone  _else_  didn’t get much sleep this time around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIIIIVE


	14. Priorities

Tetsuya was walking out of the bathroom when the door to the apartment opened suddenly and a dirty and bloody Kagami walked inside.

“Hi.” He said and winced when he bumped into the cabinet in the hall.

“Sorry I’m late.” He said and shrugged off his shoes and his firefighter jacket. After a moment of debating if he should hang the dirty piece of clothing on the rack he turned to Tetsuya.

“I think this needs to be cleaned.”

Tetsuya stood there, mouth hanging open in shock. He wasn’t expecting to see Kagami before he went to bed. He supposed he would be back very late at night, maybe even just a few hours before dawn.

Three hours ago, Taiga texted him that they were being called to an emergency and although Tetsuya was a bit anxious he knew what was going on. He purposely didn’t turn on any news. He was calm. He was fine.

But apparently Kagami wasn’t.

“Hey. You okay?” Kagami asked and moved forward. He winced and sighed in pain.

Tetsuya wasn’t often rendered speechless but it seemed this was one of those rare moments.

“Why are you here?” He finally said.

Taiga looked mildly offended.

“It’s my home?”

“No, I mean.” He stooped and swallowed. “You  _should_  be in the emergency room.” He finally snapped out of his shock and grabbed Kagami’s hand.

“Where are we going?”

“Hospital?!” Tetsuya knew that his voice was slightly shaking, but he didn’t care.  

“What?” Kagami was thinking slower than usual which often happened after a stressful shift.

“No.” He said and halted Kuroko. “No, I don’t need to. I got patched up see?” He lifted his shirt and showed a bunch of messy gauze and band aid, some with dark spots.

Kuroko’s eyes went comically wide and Taiga wanted to laugh.

Tetsuya grabbed Kagami by the hand again and dragged him to the bedroom.

“Strip.” He ordered and disappeared into the bathroom.

Kagami shrugged and did how he was told, but winced and groaned all the while. He didn’t know taking off a  _shirt_ would be so strenuous.

Kuroko came back in a matter of seconds with a huge red box which Taiga recognized as a first (or maybe was it second or even third) aid kit.

“What do you have there? A whole pharmacy?”

Tetsuya didn’t look at him when he was answering.

“Hardly. Let’s hope it will be enough.”

He prepared fresh gauze and band aids, antiseptic and cotton to clean the wounds.

He took off the used dressing as gently as he could, but it turned out most of them covered bruises and the blood mostly came from Kagami’s shirt rather than any wounds which meant it wasn’t his.

Kagami had some smaller cuts which after examining were cleaned and patched well, but the person who was doing that missed a few.

“Who did this?” Tetsuya asked while cleaning the remaining few cuts.

“The guys.” Taiga winced when the covered in antiseptic cotton touched his shoulder.

“Why didn’t you go to the emergency.”

Kagami shrugged.

“Didn’t have time.”

“Don’t lie.”

Taiga sighed but remained silent. Tetsuya didn’t push.

“There was a fire at some big hall or a garage downtown.” He started while Tetsuya was slowly patching him up.

“Some kids decided to make a bon fire I guess.”

Kuroko didn’t interrupt.

“We got called around eight.” Tetsuya nodded to himself. It was around that time he got the text from Kagami. “We managed to control the fire around ten.”

“One of the kids said he forgot something. He went back. Somehow no one noticed him as he was sneaking back.”

“So, I went after him. But of course- ouch.” He Kagami winced when Kuroko pressed the gauze a bit too hard.”

“Sorry.” He muttered.

“Anyway.  _Of course_ , he got stuck in some metal construction. I tried to get him out, but then more of the stuff collapsed.” He paused and looked at Tetsuya whose hands stopped working.

“He’s…”

“Alive. But his leg got damaged. I dragged him out and that’s why I was so bloody.” Kagami laughed and then coughed.

“You really should have-“

“Yeah, yeah I know.” Kagami interrupted him. “Anyway, everyone is well and alive. You don’t have to worry. I went home, because I was tired.”

Tetsuya sighed and finished wrapping Kagami’s forearm.

“Do you need to go to work tomorrow?”

“Nah. I got two next days off to ‘heal’.”

“Good. Because we’re going to the emergency.”

“What? Why? I’m fine?”

“You have  _smoke_  in your lungs.”

Kagami grimaced.

“Fine.” He muttered and Tetsuya took out a cooling gel from the kit.

“For the bruises.” He said and gently massaged the gel into Kagami’s skin. He sighed when he felt the relief Tetsuya’s fingers always brought.

“Fine.” Kagami repeated a lot less unhappy and Tetsuya smiled a bit. He massaged his shoulders since those were the most tense and Kagami grunted and then slumped forward nose nesting between the space between Kuroko’s neck and collarbone.

Kuroko let him, even if Kagami was a bit heavy he didn’t mind supporting him like this.

Tetsuya sighed and wrapped his arms gently around Kagami’s shoulders but it was still enough pressure to make him wince.

“Ow.”

“Sorry.” Tetsuya said and relaxed his hold.

“No, you’re not.” Kagami snorted and lifted himself from the crook of Kuroko’s neck.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow.

“I am all bruised and you are laughing.”

“I am not.” Kuroko said but there was laughter in his voice. Mostly it was relief, because Kagami despite being bruised and tired and looking well terrible, with cuts all over, was alive and mostly well.

Kagami gave him an  _are you serious_  look.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were so sensitive. Do you want me to kiss your bruises better?” Tetsuya teased, to distract them both (but mostly himself) from the intrusive thoughts, but he was taken a back when Kagami didn’t got embarrassed but lifted his chin stubbornly and narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah.”

Tetsuya paused.

“Really.”

“Yes.”

Kuroko blinked and gave Kagami a sort of fond and a sort of amused look.

He lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to his bruised knuckles. Kagami looked at him curiously, face slightly red but he didn’t tell him to stop or that he was embarrassing. Tetsuya suspected he got stuffed with painkillers at the station. They were starting to wear off so the pain was back but his brain was still dulled and he was also tired.

Or maybe he’d gotten more resistant to Tetsuya’s teasing.

Whatever it was it encouraged him to press a kiss to the first bruise visible on Kagami’s forearm.

Tetsuya was as gentle as possible and pressed another kiss to Kagami’s biceps where he had a big, purple bruise. The muscle under it jumped and he muttered an apology.

Kagami’s chest was littered in small scratched and Kuroko kissed each of them before he moved to the other arm, brushed each yellow and green bruise however small or big and then moved to Kagami’s shoulders which seemed to be in pretty bad shape but Tetsuya was as careful as he could.

He could feel Kagami stiffening when he found a small scratch behind his left ear and nosed it gently, before he pressed the last kiss to the lobe of Kagami’s ear.

“There all better.” He said.

Kagami grabbed him by the shoulders, arms which were lax just moments ago wrapping tightly around Kuroko’s waist and he kissed him roughly.  

Kuroko made a muffled sound of surprise (though he shouldn’t really), then relaxed and kissed back.

“There was no bruise there.” He said panting after the kiss was over.

“I had a split lip.” Kagami retorted.

“When?” Tetsuya raised an eyebrow.

“Last week.”

Kuroko laughed shortly which was swallowed by Kagami in the next moment and he was tumbled down to the bed. He tried being mindful of Kagami’s bruises and only ran his hands through Kagami’s hair, scratching his scalp which he knew Kagami liked a lot.

But when Kagami moved a bit and Kuroko wanted to adjust him better he put a hand on the small of his back and Kagami yelped in pain.

“Ow, ow, ow not  _there_.” He said and panted. Kuroko looked at him for a moment and felt guilty.

_What am I doing._ He thought, angry with himself.

Kagami sighed.

“Kay, I’m good. C’mere.”

“No.” Tetsuya said and covered Kagami’s mouth with his hand.

“What?” Kagami mumbled from behind his palm.

“Let me see.” Kuroko said and squirmed from under Kagami. He moved behind him and felt as if all the blood from his head drained.

Kagami had a big,  _huge_ angular, multicolored bruise running over his back. Kuroko felt weak at the sight.

Kagami looked over his shoulder.

“I uh, didn’t tell you everything.”

Kuroko wanted to be mad at Kagami. He acted uncharacteristically stupid and reckless. It happened in the past that he got badly bruised but he would always let himself be patched up at the emergency and would text Tetsuya about it.

Tetsuya swallowed.

“I’ll go get the cooling pads.”

There were just enough of then to cover the bruise. He told Kagami to put on his shirt and sleep on his stomach for the night.

After he covered him with a blanket and cleaned up the remains of the instant emergency room it was way past one, but Tetsuya couldn’t sleep.

Kagami seemed to be out, so he slipped into bed with him and turned on only the bedside table lamp and picked up a book.

He managed to read a few sentences, when he felt Kagami stir next to him.

He mumbled something and groped with his hand.

He found Kuroko’s palm, grabbed it and pressed to his forehead.

“Don’t be mad.” He slurred half of sleep and half because of pain and painkillers.

“I’m not mad.”

“You  _are_.”

Tetsuya sighed and put away the book.

“Yes. You should have stayed at the emergency room.”

Kagami was silent for a while and then he opened one eye.

“I wanted to see you.”

Tetsuya was silent, his mouth moved for a moment before he could produce more words.

“You  _would,_ anyway.”

Kagami was silent, before he sighed and opened both eyes.

“I got the kid out of the hall.” He said and paused. “And then I went back to see if there was no one else. Standard procedure.”

Tetsuya nodded despite himself.

“The fire was under control. There was only smoke. I couldn’t see for a moment.” He continued and blinked sleepily like a cat. “I bumped into something. Railing dropped on me and hit me in the back.”

Tetsuya felt the hand that Kagami was holding grip for a moment.

“I blacked out for a moment, maybe five seconds. I got dragged out by the guys.”

“And you didn’t go to the emergency. That was very stupid of you.” Tetsuya said and tried not to make his voice shake.

“That was a calculated risk. It could happen to any of the crew.” He said and yawned and both of them fell silent.

“You know why I didn’t wanna stay at the emergency?”

_Because you wanted to see me._ Tetsuya didn’t say that. He felt like Kagami wanted to add more.

“I saw you. After I black out. I saw you.” He said and squeezed his hand back. “It was…” He trailed off and never finished his thought.

“So, when I realized I didn’t have anything broken, I decided to get home as fast as possible. The guys dropped me off.”

Tetsuya felt relief that Kagami at least didn’t have a genius idea to take a cab or public transport.

“Okay.” Tetsuya said, voice shaky. “So, you have. Now sleep and don’t turn. Tomorrow we  _are_ going to the emergency.”

Taiga gave him a small smile which felt like a ray of warm sunshine. He raised the hand he was still holding to his lips and kissed it and then turned it to press a kiss to his palm.

Tetsuya rubbed the bag under Kagami’s eye, wordlessly telling him to sleep.

Kagami did. And didn’t let go of his hand for a while.


	15. Don't tell anyone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time he/she told a secret to him/her

“When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut.”

Kagami paused with chopsticks near his face and mouth hanging open when Kuroko spoke out of the blue.

“Uh, Okay?” He put the eggroll in his mouth and chewed. “And?”

“It’s a secret.” Kuroko said seriously with a hint of a pout, a little ticked off that he had to explain these things to Kagami. “I am sharing it with you.”

“Uh, Okay. It’s safe with me?” He said unsurely of what Kuroko wanted to hear from him.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” He said seriously.

Taiga hummed and went back to eating his lunch. After a minute he noticed that Kuroko was still staring at him.

“What?”

Kuroko frowned.

“You’re supposed to return the favor.”

Kagami looked puzzled.

“Share a secret.”

Kagami stared at Kuroko for long that the piece of meat fell off his chopsticks back into his bento box.

“W-what?” He sputtered.  “I mean uh, what secret? I don’t have any.” He covered his outburst quickly and put more food in his mouth.

Kuroko watched him like a hawk.

“ _Really_.”

“Yeah. I’m an open book!” He said a bit louder than he intended. “But seriously.” He shrugged. “I don’t have any interesting secrets.”

“Mine wasn’t particularly interesting.” Kuroko retorted.  “It wasn’t the point.”

“Then what was? You’re so pushy with this what gives?”

“Nothing.” Kuroko said and closed his empty bento box. “It is in good faith to share a secret for a secret. It’s like a bonding experience.”

Kagami observed him cautiously.

“I didn’t ask to be included in it.”

“That may be so, but you are now.”

Kagami sighed.

“Fine. I’m afraid of spiders.”

Kuroko studied his face closely.

“You’re a very bad liar.”

Kagami felt his ears turn red.

“It wasn’t a lie!”

“I know for a fact that it was. You are  _not_  afraid of spiders.”

Kagami huffed and scowled.

“There surely must be something that you don’t want anyone to know. Something that you keep very close to yourself. Something that you want to keep even from  _me_.”

Kagami ate in silence, trying to ignore Kuroko’s words.

There  _was_. Oh, there was  _a thing_. A very special thing that Kagami wanted to keep a secret even from Kuroko. Mostly because it  _involved_  him. Because he very much believed that if it somehow got out, it would ruin  _everything_.

After a moment of silence, Kuroko sighed and shook his head.

“Alright. If you won’t tell me something, I will have to renounce my position as your shadow.”

“What?” Kagami sputtered around his rice and coughed.

Kuroko waited patiently for him to get his breathing under control.

“Why is this so important to you?” He grumbled when he could speak again.

Kuroko just stared at him.

Kagami felt himself sweat under this gaze.

Did he really mean it? But if he admitted that would fuck up everything. He needed to think of something that would-

Kuroko chuckled suddenly and Kagami sharply looked up.

“Kagami-kun, you look like you’re about to explode.”

Taiga blinked a few times.

“I was joking.”

Silence.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s so easy to get under your skin and rile you up.” Kuroko admitted. “Forgive me.”

Kagami didn’t understand.

“You don’t have to tell me any secrets if you don’t want to.”

“You.” Kagami said slowly. “Are awful.”

Kuroko smiled serenely and Taiga felt his stupid heart skip a beat.

He finished his lunch in silence, while Kuroko read his book.

He observed his partner with a mix of annoyance, relief and a strange sort of fondness for his out of the blue teasing.

“By the way Kagami-kun.” Kuroko said when they were walking down the stairs from the roof. “If you  _do_ want to tell me something in secrecy, it will be safe with me.”

Kagami looked at Kuroko in silence. He knew that. It was just that he couldn’t really share this one. Not with Kuroko. Not that he wanted to tell anyone else. It was best being buried under twenty layers of denial and paranoia and it should stay that way.

“So, if you like someone and –“

Kagami almost fell down the stairs.

“W-what does that have to do with anything!?” He yelled. Kuroko simply blinked.

“Well, I was just giving an example, but I see I hit a nerve.”

Kagami felt his face turn red.

He wanted to deny but the words wouldn’t leave his mouth. Besides he was a lousy liar and Kuroko would know in a matter of seconds, just like before.

Kuroko looked at him expectantly and Kagami was begging to feel as if he was drowning in quicksand. This was teetering on a dangerous territory.

“Right.” He finally said.

Kuroko nodded.

“Just so you know.” He assured him once again.

Kagami exhaled.

“Though.” He said and Kuroko stopped and looked back at him. “I have one thing to say.”

“Yes?” Kuroko turned fully.

“If we waste more time we  _will_ be late for class.”

Kuroko looked at him for a moment, closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Kagami thought he looked a bit disappointed.

But then he opened his eyes and smiled at Kagami.

“Right.”


	16. Your own medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @steffelchen for her birthday. Happy Birthday hon! Inspired by [this fanart](https://twitter.com/m7to/status/973226283520819200). sorry it’s so short (and dumb) orz

Kagami’s eyes are hurting from how hard he is rolling them.

“Oh.” Kuroko says in his fake surprise which he doesn’t even  _try_ to play up as he collides with Kagami’s chest when the train stops at a station.

He has been at this since the boarded and Kagami feels completely and utterly  _done_.

Kuroko is capable of  _not_ losing his balance so easily and besides all the stops aren’t even that abrupt and he should barely even move.

Bur here they are, because Kuroko decided that he was in a playful mood and wanted to…whatever that was. Tease Kagami? Annoy him? Whoever knew.

“I’m sorry, Taiga-kun. I just can’t seem to keep my balance.” Kuroko says when he bumps into Kagami again then pulls away with a glint in his eyes.

Taiga should have known to stay silent and let Kuroko get bored with his little flirting tactic (because that was what it was  _according_  to Kuroko), but Kagami was very weak when it came to  _not_ responding to Kuroko in the first place and he just  _had to_ say something.

“Hold on to something then!”  

Kagami saw how Kuroko caught his words and his eyes widened for just a faction and his lips quirked upwards.

“Excellent idea.” He said and to Kagami’s shock wrapped his arms around his middle.

“Wha-H-hey!” Kagami sputtered and felt his neck go hot.

“I am holding onto something.” He explained simply with a fake innocent look. Kagami glared at him but then simply sighed. There was a railing just next to him. But of course, Kuroko had to be Kuroko.

Kagami sneaked a glance around the cart, but there were barely any people there, all too engrossed in their smartphones and tablets and newspapers and even in their dreams.

Kagami shrugged. There were way weirder things to see on a late-night train than a pair of boys snuggling (kind of) and Kagami was a witness himself to some of them.

No one cared.

Kagami relaxed for a moment and decided to ignore Kuroko as payback for his teasing, but that proved to be difficult since he decided to rest his head on his chest, just under his chin so his soft hair tickled his skin.

Kagami straightened and turned his head away, but that proved to not be enough when Kuroko started to nip at the pockets of his jacket and the one hand which was wrapped around his waist was gently skimming his spine through his t-shirt. It was barely there, but Kagami went rigid.

He opened his mouth to tell him to stop his dicking around, when the train stopped suddenly at another station and without any warning a  _literal_  flood of people filled the wagon.

Despite his size, Kagami didn’t stand a chance with the mob which started pushing him backwards.

“Woha.” He instinctively wrapped his arms around Kuroko’s waist and held him tighter, afraid that the human current would snatch him away.

Which was probably a reasonable concern.

They ended in a far corner of the cart, squeezed by the mass of people.

And only  _now_ , Kuroko decided he didn’t want to cling to Kagami.

“What are you doing?” He asked when Kuroko tried to wriggle out of his hold.

Kuroko looked up at him and Kagami finally saw his pink cheeks.

“Wait.” Kagami said when the train left the station. “Are you  _embarrassed_?” He laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

Kuroko didn’t say anything but pouted and tried to use the little space he had to move away from Kagami.

Taiga snorted and held him tighter.

“Please let me go.” Kuroko said weakly.

Kagami looked at him and made a show or considering.

“Nah.” He said with a grin. “You’re stuck with me.”

Kuroko huffed and looked away, seemingly angry and Kagami shook his head.

How was it that he could do and say things which made Kagami feel like his heart would jump from his chest, but when Kagami did something similar he acted like, well  _that._

Taiga hummed and rested his cheek on Kuroko’s head. From his position he could only see the pink tips of his ears.

Well, it didn’t matter.

Because he  _absolutely_ deserved it.


	17. Limitations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steffel and Tetsucchin wanted the same prompt: #49. First time they took a bath/shower together

Kuroko sneezed when Kagami opened the door and then pushed him inside.

“Okay. You. Shower.  _Now.”_ He ordered while pulling the light jacket off of Kuroko’s shoulders.

Neither of them expected to be caught in a serious snow storm while going out to the grocery store. Kuroko wore a thin overcoat instead of his regular winter coat like he normally would. The blizzard (because it seriously felt like it) came out of nowhere and after they reached Kagami’s apartment (somehow) they were both wet, cold and miserable.

Kuroko sneezed again.

“What about you?” He asked while pulling off his shoes.

“Hm?” Kagami asked distracted as he hung up their coats to dry. “What about me?”

“You’re soaked too.” Kuroko pointed out.

It was true. Kuroko might have been hit harder, but it didn’t mean Kagami was speared by the weather.

“I’ll go after you.” He said and moved to the kitchen area to prepare the tea.

Kuroko frowned.

“You’ll catch a cold.” He followed him.

Kagami sighed, while pulling out a kettle.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You should take a shower as well.” Kuroko pressed.

“Yeah, I  _will._  But you need it more. Now go.” He said and pushed him gently out of the kitchen.

Kuroko frowned more but didn’t budge.

Kagami sighed.

“Then what? I’m not letting you walk home like this?” He pointed to his whole wet frame. “I’m not going to be responsible for your pneumonia.” He said and turned back to the stove.

Kuroko caught his wrist and pulled.

“What?”

Kuroko was silent for a moment and then his already flushed form the cold cheeks went a bit darker.

“What?” Kagami repeated and put down the kettle.

“Let’s shower together.”

Kagami blinked, thinking that he misheard, but Kuroko gave him a stubborn look accompanied by the now vivid blush.

“W-what?!” He finally sputtered and felt that his own face went crimson. “You mean together as in you and me?” He realized after he said it, how dumb it sounded, but Kuroko didn’t mock him. He only nodded.

“But we-“ He paused, because he really couldn’t find a reason they couldn’t.  _Not really_.

He didn’t say yes or no, but he let Kuroko pull him into the bathroom in the end.

—

“It’s not too hot?”

Kagami jumped when Kuroko’s quite voice cut through the sound of the running water and bounced off the tile walls.

“What?” Kagami asked and wiped his face when droplets got into his eyes.

“The water.” Kuroko repeated and Kagami heard a brief shifting behind him. “It’s not too hot?”

“N-no.” Kagami said, focusing his gaze on the door of the shower stall. “It’s fine.”

Kuroko made a humming noise and went quiet.

Kagami closed his eyes and tried to not die.

They went into the cabin at least five minutes ago. Kagami turned on the water and then they both promptly turned away from each other.

_The warm water will run out soon and all this will be pointless._ Kagami thought and swallowed, before he started turning back.

Unfortunately, Kuroko had the same idea an also started to turn.

He bumped into Kagami, who slipped and lost his balance. Fortunately, he fell forward and not backwards so no damage to their small shower was caused.

Kagami balanced his weight on one hand which pressed to the wet, cold wall, while he instinctively wrapped the other around Kuroko.

“You okay?” He asked and looked down to check on the other boy.

Immediately, when their eyes met he looked up, remembering why this was a bad idea in the first place.

It was weird, while it  _shouldn’t_. Kagami and Kuroko were teammates long before they were friends and dating and that meant they showered next to each other  _countless_  of times. And it wasn’t like they did it on purpose but they saw each other in their birthday suits and neither batted an eye.

But…yeah this was different.

And so far, Kagami wasn’t sure it was a good thing.

“I’m fine.” Kuroko said. He then hesitated. “You can let go of me now.”

“O-oh. Right.” Kagami said and removed his hand from Kuroko’s waist, trying to not focus on the feel of skin under his fingertips.

When their eyes met again, Kagami stubbornly looked at the space above Kuroko’s head.

And then he shivered.

Right. Water.

He sighed and tried to move away from the spray, but there wasn’t a lot of place to go.

Kuroko turned it off and looked at Kagami. Droplets fell from the tips of his hair.

“I think we should move to the bathtub.”

—

The bath was also not made for two people to use it, but they managed somehow and at least they were warm.

And it was slightly less awkward that way. But  _only_  slightly.

“Kagami-kun?”

“Hm?” Kagami said and looked up from where he had his head tipped backwards. Kuroko sat at the other side of the bathtub with water up to his chin.

“Do you find me repulsive?”

Kagami stared at Kuroko for a longer while, his brain working slower due to the warm water and the whole shower fiasco from before.

“What?” He said finally and winced when his loud voice bounced off the walls. Kuroko didn’t even flinch.

“What the hell are you say-oh.” Kagami stopped himself when he realized. Kuroko blinked a few times, and then looked down at the water.

Kagami sighed and pushed his hair back.

“This didn’t work how I imagined it.” Kuroko muttered to himself. He sounded miffed and annoyed and Kagami couldn’t help but laugh a bit.

“Yeah….Sorry. It just…it caught me off guard I guess.” He shrugged and the water around him rippled. “You’re not-“ He made a gesture towards Kuroko. “You know. It-it’s actually the opposite. And uh-“ He stopped rabbling when Kuroko’s already flushed cheeks went darker.

“Oh. I see.” He dipped half of his face under water.

“I’m sorry.” He said after a longer moment. “I should have asked.”

Kagami shrugged.

“It’s cool. I mean, it should be normal, with all the locker room showers and all, but I guess I’m just a weirdo.”

Kuroko gave him a small smile.

“That means we just have to get used to it.”

Kagami nodded.

“I guess.”

They lounged in the warm water for another few minutes when Kuroko decided it was enough for him.

“I’m getting out.”

“Okay.” Kagami said nonchalantly, but then he almost choked on air when Kuroko pulled himself out of the bath and Kagami had a perfect view of basically everything there was to see.

He quickly averted his gaze and glared at the water, his face flaming like a torch.

He didn’t look up when Kuroko dried off, got dressed and walked out of the bathroom.

_How am I supposed to get used to this in the first place?!_ He thought frantically.

When the door closed behind him with a soft click, Kagami bit his lip and dove right under the surface.

Maybe if he was lucky he’d drown.


	18. Champions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for aphelion. prompt: first time they went ice-skating together

Every other week when there was time for it, the team would organize an outing to strengthen their ‘bond’ and do something not basketball related.

So far, they were to the movies, hang out at Kagami’s place and ate all his food, visited Kuroko’s home, played board games at Kiyoshi’s grandparent’s home and were needlessly tortured by Riko’s dad at his gym.

At first Kagami wasn’t sure that what they were doing had sense – why waste time at  _not_  playing basketball? But after a few such outings he understood and looked forward to them. They were teammates sure, but they were also friends and more than just club obligations kept them together.

Except for some activities.

“What’s wrong Kagami-kun?”

Kuroko asked from where he was walking beside Kagami and Taiga stiffened at the sudden question.

“Nothing’s wrong!” He answered too quickly, while Kuroko simply looked at him.

“Yes, there is.”

Kagami made a face and then he leaned forward to say under his breath.

“I can’t skate.” He admitted shamefully and looked away.

Kuroko hummed beside him.

“Then why did you agree?”

It was Kiyoshi’s idea, since it was his turn to pick a thing to do together and they could vote on it.

Apparently, everyone at his team knew how to skate or were enthusiastic enough to try it.

Everyone,  _except_  Kagami.

Kagami snorted.

“I didn’t want to be the odd one out.” He sneaked a look at his friend.

Kuroko looked like he was contemplating something.

“They didn’t have ice rinks in Los Angeles?”

Kagami sighed.

“They probably did, but I never had to go there.” He shrugged. “So, I never learned.”

Kuroko frowned to himself.

“It’s cool. I’ll just watch you guys.”

“No.” Kuroko said suddenly.

“No?” Kagami was confused.

“Don’t worry Kagami-kun.” Kuroko said and gave him a small smile. “I skate just fine, so I’ll teach you.” He said and then Riko announced that they arrived at the place.

 

* * *

 

“Do you need help?”

Kagami dropped the skate he was about to put on his foot and he almost slipped. It was a miracle they even  _had_ his size at the ice rink. Too bad it wasn’t as easy to get  _basketball_  shoes in this country, Kagami thought bitterly.

“No!” He turned to Kuroko and snapped. “And I think I told you to  _not_ do that.”

Kuroko shrugged.

“It’s not like I can just turn it off.”

Kagami grumbled and went back to putting on and tying his ice skates.

He managed to stand up, without falling and he made the short way from the benches to the actual ice.

“Okay.” He said when stood before Kuroko who was moving confidently on the ice and waiting patiently for him to get ready. “Now what?”

“Now you should get on the ice, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko teased with a tilt of his mouth and stepped a bit back to give him room.

Kagami eyed the ice with distrust.

He put his foot on the ice and immediately slipped and almost feel, face first on the hard ice.

“Goddamn it.” He grumbled under his breath, face and neck going hot. Great.  _Just great_.

Kuroko didn’t laugh. He helped him get back up on his feet.

“M’fine.” Kagami said and shook Kuroko’s hands off him.

“Kagami-kun.”

Taiga looked at Kuroko and saw his outstretched hands and then looked at his face.

“Hold my hands. I’ll guide you.”

“Uh.” Kagami wanted to object, because he wasn’t a kid and because well…he couldn’t just  _hold_ Kuroko’s hand  _like_ that.

But Kuroko was insistent. He grabbed Kagami’s hands himself and pulled him to the ice.

He thought he was ready for humiliation but was he  _wrong_.

His legs were shaking as if he was a newborn faun, as he was being pulled forward by Kuroko and he was probably crushing his hands with how hard he was gripping them.

But Kuroko didn’t complain.

“That’s good Kagami-kun.” He said suddenly. “You’re doing great.”

“Yeah right.” Kagami grumbled and slipped, but Kuroko held him up so he somehow didn’t fall.

Kuroko chuckled. “I’ll go a bit faster now, aright?”

Kagami nodded and braced himself. Kuroko pulled him forward and after a moment he relaxed a bit.

“You need to bend your knees. Yes, like this.” Kagami looked down at their feet. When Kuroko slowed down again, he kicked his foot without being prompted.

He looked up and Kuroko gave him a small grin, which for some reason made Kagami’s ears go hot.

They moved at a snail’s pace and Kagami could hear his team’s laughs and ‘cheers’ whenever they passed some of them, but he tuned them out. He was at least glad the ice rink wasn’t crowned, aside from a few people.

Suddenly they came to a stop.

Kagami looked at Kuroko curiously and noted how rosy his cheeks were and how he was slightly panting.

“Now.” Kuroko said and sighed when he caught some of his breath. “Now, Kagami-kun,  _you_  pull  _me_.”

Kagami blinked.

“Oh, uh. Okay.” He gripped Kuroko’s hands and bit his lip in concentration. “Okay, here goes.” He moved his legs backwards, trying to imitate how Kuroko did it just moments before.

And it worked at first.

“Oh!” Kagami looked surprised when he was able to skate backwards. Kuroko laughed.

“See? It’s not that hard.”

Kagami looked at Kuroko and then away and tried to focus on moving his legs.

“It’s mostly muscle memory.” He explained. “Like when you do drills. It takes getting used to.”

Kagami nodded as they finished the first lap and started another one.

Just then when Kagami relaxed enough to not think about falling on his ass and making a spectacle and could focus on other things. The small whips of wind on his face, the chill of ice, some of the people passing them by.

And, unfortunately, on Kuroko’s  _hands_.

It’s not something Kagami wanted to dwell on, but he just couldn’t help it!

He never touched Kuroko like this. Hell, he only hugged him  _once_ , and that was when they won the winter cup, despite them being pretty physical with each other, even for Japan’s standards.

He always knew that, but now when he was clutching at Kuroko’s hands, he realized just how  _strong_  his grip was. There were calluses on his hands and fingers, but he knew that the skin on his knuckles was smooth.

But most importantly, his hands were warm, which was surprising, since Kuroko was often a bit colder than Kagami thought healthy, and he could feel it when their knuckles brushed when they fist-bumped.

_What the hell am I thinking about._ He scolded himself and hoped he hid his blush against his scarf.

“Kagami-kun.”

_Fuck._ He panicked. Kuroko probably thought he was a weirdo now.

“Kagami-kun.” Kuroko’s voice was a bit louder.

Kagami looked up. Kuroko looked a bit panicked.

“Huh?”

“Watch ou-“ He didn’t finish, because just then Kagami bumped into someone, slipped and fell on the ice, not managing to keep himself upright.

“Owwww.” He groaned. He hit his shoulder and it  _hurt_.

And just then he realized, he pulled Kuroko with him, because he didn’t manage to free his hands from Kagami’s grip.

Kagami sat up suddenly when he realized what a compromising position they were in. He could hear loud laughter in the background.

Kuroko was rubbing his nose which he jammed straight into Kagami’s collarbone.

“I’m sorry Kagami-kun. I tried to warn you.”

Kagami grimaced.

“Sorry, I got distracted.”

Kuroko blinked at him.

“By what?”

Kagami looked away and shrugged.

The other boy sighed and stood up effortlessly. Their team was still laughing in the distance, but it didn’t seem to bother Kuroko in the least.

“Kagami-kun?”

Taiga looked up and saw that Kuroko reached his hand to help Kagami up. He looked at him for a moment before he shook his head and grabbed the railing above his head.

“Thanks.” He grumbled when he managed to get up. “I got this.”

When he was ‘skating’ back to the benches, he tried to pretend that the look on Kuroko’s face was simply annoyance and not  _actually_ hurt.

 

* * *

 

“Sorry for that.”

Kuroko looked up at Kagami who was holding out a cup of hot chocolate.

“For what?” He asked and took the cup from him.

Taiga sat next to Kuroko on the bench and took a sip of his own drink and then promptly grimaced at the over sugared taste.

“Uh, where to start.”

The other boy chuckled next to him and Taiga’s lips also quirked in a smile.

They sat in relative silence, nursing their hot drinks and watching their team have a blast on the ice rink.

Kuroko was still wearing his skates, while Taiga already changed into normal shoes.

“Hey. You like skating that much?”

Kuroko looked down at his feet and then up at Kagami.

“I don’t know if it’s much, but I have fond memories from when I came here with my parents.”

“Oh.”

Taiga took another sip.

“Did you come here with your weird ass middle school friends?”

Kuroko laughed under his breath.

“No. Unfortunately. Akashi-kun and the coach wouldn’t let us waste time like that.” He sounded a bit wistful for a moment.

“I see.” Kagami said and took a sip of his drink and forced himself to swallow.

Kuroko was sipping slowly, seemingly content with everything.

“So, uh.” Kagami played with the paper cup. “Sorry for being so crap at this. I didn’t mean to…you know.”

“It’s alright.” Kuroko drank the rest of his chocolate. “It’s true that you aren’t Olympics material, but I’ve seen worse. I’ve  _done_  worse.”

“Right.” Kagami nodded and looked sideways at the boy next to him.

“So, if you…if you’re still up for that, and we come here again, you’re okay with teaching me again? I promise not to get distracted and bump into anything, fall down and drag you with me.”

Kuroko hummed, as if he was considering.

“Do you mean, you  _and_  me?”

Kagami opened his mouth and froze for a moment.

“I meant the whole team, but that works too I guess?”

Kuroko was silent for a moment, turning the paper cup in his hands.

“Alright.” He said finally. “Let’s come here together.”

“Okay.” Kagami said and exhaled.

For some reason, this simple friendly future outing made him really excited.

Wonder why.


	19. A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 48\. First time they spent the night together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little canin divergence before the Rakuzan Match. I don’t nornally alter canon since it’s so good for them but eh, this is only slight.

“Hey.” Kagami grabbed Kuroko’s arm, just when he was about to leave his apartment.

Kuroko looked back and blinked in surprise.

“Is something wrong?”

Kagami mulled the words over for a moment.

“It’s late.”

“Yes.” Kuroko said and tried to gently escape Kagami’s hold. “That’s why I’m leaving.”

Kagami instinctively tightened his grip around Kuroko’s biceps.

“Stay.” He said and had to lick his lips and clear his suddenly dry throat. “I have a futon.”

Kuroko turned around and looked at Kagami closely.

“Why?”

Kagami opened his mouth, but he didn’t really know what to say. He could try and explain that he was feeling…on the edge. He’d probably won’t be able to sleep, because of Kuroko’s story. Because of how it made him feel. Like he was ready to go play twenty rounds against Aomine and Murasakibara at once, but also weary and tired.

He wouldn’t be able to find any solace in dreams because of how it made Kuroko feel too. So exhausted and resigned.

_You’re an idiot Taiga._  He thought to himself.  _You didn’t know each other back then._

And it really was late and cold outside. Kuroko didn’t live that far, but it would still take him at least thirty minutes to get home by foot, and Kagami had this annoying worry in his gut, that just didn’t  _want_  to go away.

Kuroko was big boy and he could take care of himself, that he knew. But he also knew he wanted to make  _sure_  he was fine.

He closed his mouth and just shrugged.

Kuroko sighed and shook his head, before he took off his shoes and took out his phone.

“I’ll get you a towel.” Kagami said and disappeared in the hallway.

* * *

Kuroko said he could sleep on the couch, but Kagami insisted on the futon.

He knew, he was being ridiculous and Kuroko was getting suspicious about this shift in mood, but he didn’t say anything.

They took turns to shower and change and soon they were laying in the dark. Kagami on his bed and Kuroko on the spread-out futon.

And of course, Kagami couldn’t sleep.

Not only because of what Kuroko told them, not only because there was very important, if not the  _most_ important game, in the afternoon, but also because now Kuroko was filling his room with his soft breathing and shifting of the blankets.

Kagami looked at the celling, feeling that he should say more, but not really knowing what. Everything that appeared in his head sounded awkward or imposing. He didn’t want to hear it wasn’t his business, but he also didn’t want for Kuroko think that Kagami thought he was weak or helpless.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He figured the only thing to do was to win tomorrow.

Kagami opened his eyes when he heard a sniffle.

For a moment it was quiet but then he heard it again.

“Kuroko?” He looked at the other boy, but he was laying on his side, his back backing to Kagami.

Taiga sighed.

“I know you’re not sleeping.”

Kuroko let out another sniffle and shifted a bit under the blanket and he fell silent.

After few minutes Kagami thought Kuroko was actually sleeping, but then he saw a slight shaking of Kuroko’s shoulders.  

“Hey.” He reached out with his hand and shook Kuroko. “Don’t tell me you’re sick.” It wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities, since they stayed out late and it was the winter and fuck, Kuroko got cold so easily, but of course he wouldn’t say anything or ask for another blanket.

“No.” Kuroko said wetly and turned around and Kagami’s eyes bulged out of his skull.

“W-why are you crying?”

“I’m sorry.” He wiped his face. “I tried holding it back, but it just didn’t…work.”

Kagami gaped at Kuroko for a long moment.

“Don’t tell me you made yourself sad while talking about middle school.” He tentatively tried with a joke that would distract him.

Kuroko laughed suddenly, voice a choked a bit and a few fresh tears rolled down his face.

“A little.” He said with a heavy sigh. “It’s been…a very long day.” He said and smiled at Kagami. Taiga thought the smile was supposed to be reassuring, but it looked more forced than anything.

“But it also made me feel really happy.”

_Happy?_ Kagami thought confused. There wasn’t  _anything_  happy about Kuroko’s story.

“When you said that you always thought of us as friends.” He finished in a whisper.

Oh.

“I know you were meant the whole team.” He sniffed. “But I couldn’t help and feel like you were talking about us.”

_That’s because I was._ Kagami thought. At the back of his mind at least. He spoke for the whole team, but the more he analyzed what he meant the more he realized he meant them  _specifically_.

“Come here.” He said suddenly and lifted the covers. Kuroko blinked.

“I’m fine here. I’m not cold. Really.”

“Doesn’t matter. Get in here.” He said and moved back to the wall. Kuroko hesitated but then sat up on the futon and after wiping his face, crawled under the covers with Kagami.

He gently laid down on his side, facing Taiga.

Kagami watched how Kuroko got comfortable, laid his cheek on the pillow and how the pillow case stuck to his damp skin.

Kagami got as comfortable as he could on his suddenly small bed. It wasn’t meant for two people, that much was apparent.

“It’s a little crammed.” Kuroko said what Kagami was thinking.

“It’s fine.” He grunted in response and covered them both with his duvet.

Instead of sleeping they just laid there looking at each other. Kuroko searched Kagami’s face for a long moment, but Kagami didn’t know if he found what he was looking for.

Taiga closed his eyes, wanting to finally get some sleep, but he suddenly felt Kuroko shift and get more into his space.

He saw one wet eye peering up at him when he looked down.

He could tell him to move, to turn around or to go back to the futon.

Instead his embraced him.

There was a bit of shifting, before Kuroko got under his chin and almost snuggled. Kagami tentatively put one arm around his waist and waited, but nothing happened. Kuroko didn’t push him away.

He exhaled and looked down. Suddenly Kuroko was also looking at him, his eyes mostly dry now, but a faint red rim around them a proof of his tears.

Kuroko’s hand made a first under his own chin, while Kagami put a hand on Kuroko’s head and realized again how nice to the touch his hair was.

Kuroko’s mouth was warm bit salty from his tears and he pressed his lips together so tightly it almost felt as if he was forcing himself.

But he was the one who kissed Taiga.

“Good night.” He said after that.

“Night.” Kagami said and unexpectedly fell asleep.

* * *

They ate breakfast in silence.

It wasn’t awkward though, more like they both understood that they each had things they needed to think through before they could say something.

When Kagami woke, he thought he dreamed about Kuroko crawling into his bed and then kissing him, but he only had to take one look at the boy curled up beside him to know that it indeed happened.

Oddly enough, he didn’t think much about the match in a few hours. All his pent-up frustration from yesterday was gone and he felt strangely calm and ready.

Still, he thought he should say something. He wanted to…well, he didn’t know really what exactly he want, but he wanted  _something_  from Kuroko. And he needed to be sure Kuroko wanted the same thing, whatever they were.

“Kagami-kun.” Kuroko spoke first just before they were about to leave to meet the team before the match.

“Yeah?” Suddenly his heartbeat accelerated and he held his breath.

“About…what happened last night.” He paused for a moment. “About what I did.”

Kagami forgot how to breath for a second. He realized Kuroko might be asking him to forget it and he didn’t know if he could  _do_  that.

He definitely knew he didn’t  _want_  to.

“Can…can we talk about it…after the match?” He looked at him helpfully, as if Kagami was ready to deny him that.

Kagami exhaled suddenly, and blinked feeling slightly dizzy. He wanted to laugh for some reason.

“Yes.” He said quickly, maybe too hastily and felt his cheeks go red.

“I mean. Yes. Yes, of course.”

Kuroko blinked slowly and smiled brighter than Kagami ever saw him.

“After the game then.” He said and opened the door and Kagami followed.


	20. Into the wild

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for @steffelchen kagakuro and #51. First time they went camping together

Kagami killed the engine and shook Tetsuya’s shoulder gently, waking him up.

“Hey. We’re here.” He said when sleepy blue eyes blinked at him in confusion.

“Here?” Kuroko asked and sat up in his seat. At first, he was still confused, but when he looked out of the window his eyes widened and he let out a surprised gasp.

Kagami bit his lip and tried not to laugh, when Tetsuya unbuckled his safety belt, fumbled while doing it, and opened the door.

Kagami got out of the car as well, but he didn’t follow Kuroko out to the field and just stayed near the vehicle observing how the other boy walked as if he was in a dream. The air was still warm and humid, even though it was pretty late and Tetsuya wore a pair of knee length khakis and a t-shirt. He walked into the tall grass and Kagami wanted to call him to not do that because he was going to end with a dozen bug bites, but then he decided against it.

Kuroko stopped suddenly in the middle of the glowing and buzzing field and turned to Kagami, who was still able to see him because of their car lights and because, probably for first time in his life, he stuck out all pale and blue.

“It’s so pretty.” Kuroko said and looked up when a few of the fireflies buzzed over his head and flew up into the air.

“Mhm.” Kagami hummed and leaned against the car. He found his smartphone in his jacket pocket and took a stealthy picture when Kuroko turned around again and reached out with his hand to catch a few of the fireflies.

He opened his browser and was surprised to catch Wi-Fi signal basically in the middle of nowhere, but as it turned out it was from a camping ground hotspot. Good. They didn’t have to sleep in the car tonight. So far, they only did it once and it was not very comfortable, seeing as the car wasn’t that spacious.

Kagami looked up after he checked the location on a map, set up the GPS and saw Kuroko walking up to him, his hands clasped together.

“What do you have there?” He asked when Kuroko got closer.

The boy opened his hands and a firefly flew out of his palms and into the night sky.

Kagami watched it fly away and then looked down at Kuroko.

“Dork.” He said affectionately and Kuroko pouted. “You saw them in Japan.”

“Yes, but. These are different.”

“How so?” Kagami shifted against the car. “They look the same to me.”

“They are American.”

Kagami groaned and rolled his eyes.

“How do you know that? Did they have stripes and stars? Or did you ask them? Maybe they are also Japanese tourist?”

“They aren’t.” Kuroko teased back and slipped his hands under Kagami’s jacket, molding himself snuggly to his front. “Japan is too far away for fireflies.”

Kagami grunted and put a hand on Kuroko’s back and his chin on top of his head. “Is it?”

Kuroko nodded and half turned to look at the filed.

“It is.”

Taiga let them just idle for a few more minutes before he nudged Kuroko.

“Let’s go.”

“Are we going to sleep in the car tonight?”

“Nah. There’s a camping ground not far away. We’ll set up a tent.

They only needed to drive twenty minutes, before the camping ground came into view. Kagami paid and they found a place for their car and tiny tent which has space barely for two people sitting or laying down.

They set up the tent and Kuroko spread their two-person sleeping bag (Kuroko got cold easily and Kagami wasn’t risking him getting ill, especially so far away from home) and then he went to wash up in the remote bathroom.

Kagami went after him and when he came back Kuroko was reading a book by the flashlight.

“Scoot over.” He crawled into the tent and after some shuffling they both got into the sleeping bag and Kagami zipped it.

“Tomorrow we’ll find a motel.” He told Kuroko.

“Alright.”

Kagami couldn’t help himself and his hand moved to card though Kuroko’s hair, before it settled at his cheek with fingers cupping the back of his head.

It was dark in the tent and the only way Kagami knew Kuroko was with him was because he could hear his breathing and feel him near.

“What are you grinning about.” Despite not being able to see him he was able to hear and somehow feel the smile in his voice.

Kuroko didn’t respond right away and Kagami searched for his mouth with his thumb. When Kuroko smiled he got a dimple near his lips and Kagami put his thumb there and sure enough he could feel the small dent.

“I’m just excited.” He said quietly.

“About the glow-y bugs?”

Kuroko huffed and Kagami could basically see his eyeroll and he grinned.

“Not  _only.”_  He paused for a moment, before continuing. “I’ve never been camping. I was only fishing with my dad.”

“Well I’ve never been finishing, but I was camping countless times. Wanna share experiences?”

Kuroko chuckled.

“Maybe.” He said and went quiet. Kagami brushed his thumb over the skin of Kuroko’s cheek and chin and ran it over his lip. It was still stretched in a smile and Kagami got the stupidest urge to kiss him.

“I am excited for this. It’s like an adventure.” Kuroko said Kagami could feel his lashes brush over his thumb when he blinked.

“And I am happy it’s with you.”

Everything was still for a moment after he said that and Kagami realized he was holding his breath.

This was the moment Kuroko chose to put his own hand on Kagami’s face and he realized how warm it was.

“You’re blushing.” Kuroko said and the dimple near his mouth depended.

Kagami wanted to be annoyed, but he wasn’t able to say anything coherent for a moment.

“Go to sleep.” He sighed finally and leaned forward to kiss the top of Kuroko’s head.

Kuroko shifted when he was pulling away and planted a sudden kiss to his mouth, letting Kagami have a full taste of his smile.

“Goodnight.” He said and turned in Kagami’s hold.

Taiga sighed and buried his face in Kuroko’s soft hair.

“I’m happy too, idiot.” He mumbled when he thought Kuroko was finally asleep.

But just before he drifted off himself he felt Kuroko lace their fingers together.


	21. Inspection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REALLY DUMB thing. It sounded better in my head ><

Kagami’s eyes snapped open suddenly when he felt, more than he saw, cold fingers slip under the hem of his shirt and a small, sneaky hand stroke the ridges of his stomach.

He blinked the drowsiness from his eyes and then frowned at the little lump on his stomach.

“Hey.” He turned his head to the owner of the hand who was snuggly pressed to his side, cheek pillowed on his chest as if he was Kuroko’s personal pillow.

“I said _hey_.” He repeated when Kuroko didn’t react but his fingers kept idly tracing the dips of his six pack.

He saw Kuroko hum something and press his cheek closer to the cotton of his shirt.

“Yes?”

“What are you doing?” Honestly, he was more confused than anything.

“Watching a movie.” Kuroko mumbled as his palm settled on Kagami’s hip and stroked affectionately.

“Really?” Kagami could feel the blush on his cheeks. It was ridiculous to be feeling embarrassed at something as normal as flirting (because this was what it was right? _Kuroko’s_ way of flirting.) even after years of being together. But he just couldn’t _help_ it.

“Mhm.” Kuroko hummed and rubbed his nose against Taiga’s chest. His hand returned to just idly stroking his stomach and mapping the hard ridges and little crevices of his abs.

Just when he was slowly getting used to it, Kuroko’s hand went lower and settled just over the waistband of his pants and his thumb stroked playfully the little bit of hair which peeked from under the cotton.

“Oookay.” He snapped and pulled Kuroko’s hand from under his shirt. His face was burning, but he grabbed his palm and laced their fingers together and put them on top of his stomach.

There.

“ _Behave_.” He grumbled.

He missed Kuroko’s little frown, but then he was shaking Kagami’s hand off.

Taiga had a moment where he was mildly offended, because since when did Kuroko denied him some explicit hand holding? But then his boyfriend slipped his hand back under the hem of Kagami’s shirt and spread his palm flat against Kagami’s toned stomach.

“Okay. _What_ are you doing?” He sputtered.

Kuroko sighed and then looked away from the TV and up at Kagami.

“I’m checking.”

“Checking what?”

“If they are still there.”

Taiga’s jaw dropped and he blushed even more at that statement.

“Weirdo.” He muttered, because he just couldn’t come up with any other comeback.

He let Kuroko keep his hand under his shirt, thinking that maybe it would keep him quiet, but the little shit’s hand started his little dance again, fingers skimming his abs and pressing to his hipbones and then again teasing over his waistband.

“Hey.” He finally snapped. “If you’re horny, just say so. We can ditch the movie you know?”

Kuroko shook his head gently, his fingers following the little quiver of Kagami’s abdominal muscles.

“I’m not.”

“You sure?” Kagami raised an eyebrow as he observed the lump under his shirt, stroking and teasing his skin. The hand which wasn’t wrapped around Kuroko’s waist was balled into a fist.

“Nope.”

“Sure, sure?”

“I am sure.”

“Are you _really_ sure?”

Suddenly Kuroko stopped his teasing, sighed and poked Kagami’s side.

Taiga gasped and made a stupid sound which made him blush even more. Oh, that little shit.

“Okay.” He said and untangled his hand from around Kuroko’s waist. “That does it.” He said and after a bit of shifting spread his palm over Kuroko’s backside and squeezed.

The only difference in Kuroko’s expression was his quirked eyebrow.

“What are you doing?” He asked echoing Kagami’s words from before.

“Checking.” He repeated Kuroko’s.

“Checking what?”

“If there’s _any_ at all.” He said with a grin. Kuroko’s eyes widened slightly.

“Rude, Taiga-kun.”

“Not as much as your hand _almost_ in my pants.” He retorted back. “Can’t a guy watch a movie here anymore?”

Kuroko looked at him with a blank face, but Kagami could see the dangerous glint.

“What are you-hey! No wait, wait TETSUYA!” He grabbed Kuroko’s hand just before he could do anything more embarrassing. They wrestled on the couch, poking and pinning and trying to tickle each other.

Kagami ended up on his back, one hand groping Kuroko’s butt while the other boy tried to pull his shirt up and tickle him senseless.

“Oh no you don’t.” Kagami said and give Kuroko a one hand squeeze while the other poked at his ribs where he knew Kuroko was ticklish himself.

“No!” Kuroko gasped and chocked back a laugh.

“God you’re so skinny.” Kagami commented and poked Kuroko’s sides. “Do you even eat anything? Sometimes I can’t bear to look at you.”

Kuroko pouted.

“I do and I thought you liked how I look without clo-“

“Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive!” He yelled embarrassed and then yelped when he felt sneaky hands trying to worm themselves between the couch and Taiga’s ass.

“Hey you!” He sputtered and then laughed when Kuroko finally tickled his sides.

“An eye for an eye Taiga-kun. Also, I won.”

“You won what?” He wheezed before Kuroko pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

And tickled him again.

 


	22. Experiment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um?? this can be for kiss day I guess, even if it’s late

Taiga hated homework.

He hated it in principle, as any high school kid would hate something that would take away his free time from doing something fun or something which was actually  _productive_.

But he hated it even more when Kuroko was tutoring him.

Not because Kuroko was a bad teacher, quite the contrary. Because of Kuroko his grades actually went up a notch or two, usually thanks to the really neat teaching or memorizing tricks Kuroko would come up with that helped Taiga pass tests and exams with decent enough grades that he didn’t get suspended from club.

It was still boring though.

But when he started dating his teammate, he realized how much he  _really_ hated studying.

Now homework was not only taking away his time from doing important chores or playing basketball or training, but it also gave him this illusion of  _actually_  spending time with his boyfriend.

And it didn’t matter that they already spent together enough time as much as humanely possible, he still felt cheated.

Especially when Kuroko was on his bed, pressed to his side, snuggled close and smelling of his soap because to the shower he took just an hour ago.

“Let’s go through some notes for the test tomorrow, Kagami-kun.” He’d say and Taiga had to begrudgingly agree.

“Is that clear?” Kuroko asked and Kagami blinked when he realized he was spacing out this whole time, watching how Kuroko pushed a lock of damp hair behind his ear and as it curled there.

“Uh, yeah.”

A sigh.

“You didn’t listen.”

Kagami felt his face flush and he reluctantly looked at Kuroko.

“Sorry.” He mumbled.

Kuroko closed the book with a sigh.

“I suppose it’s late enough.” He pillowed his head in his arms. “That’s it for today.”

“Okay.” Taiga said awkwardly, not knowing what to say more.

“You should be fine.” Kuroko said and put his palm on Kagami’s hand. Taiga looked at their hands and turned his own to grasp Kuroko’s in a loose hold. He rubbed his thumb over Kuroko’s knuckles.

“You think?” He murmured.

Kuroko shifted, raising his head and moving a little closer to Kagami.

“It’s just a midterm test. If you do poorly, we’ll need to work harder, but I’m confident you’ll pass it.”

“Hn.” Kagami grunted and looked at Kuroko, who’s hair was still a bit damp and it was matted at his forehead. He had a comment at the tip of his tongue that Kuroko should have used his blow-dryer because he caught colds so easily.

Bur Kuroko was faster when he leaned forward and kissed Kagami on the mouth.

When he moved away, Taiga blushed and blinked a few times.

“W-what was that?”

Tetsuya tilted his head to the side.

“It seemed you really wanted to do it, so I helped.” He said innocently.

Taiga felt a pang of annoyance. He didn’t want to jump Kuroko like an animal, and here he was being mocked for being indecisive.

Tetsuya blinked and then gave him a slight, sly smirk.

Taiga blushed more and felt a vein pop on his forehead. He pushed Kuroko down on the bed, pressing their lips together, hard and a bit uncomfortable. Kuroko made a muffled sound, but he went willingly. When Taiga pulled back, he laughed.

“What! What’s so funny?!”

“Nothing.” Tetsuya said and cupping his face, brought his face back down and pecked him gently.

Taiga forgot about his frustration for a moment, and traded chaste kisses with Kuroko, dry lips brushing and noses bumping a bit in their inexperience.

After a doze or so of them, he pulled back and looked at Kuroko, who looked back calmly and curiously at Taiga.

Kagami put a hand on his cheek and a thumb under his lower lip and rubbed there gently.

“Do you want to try a d-different kiss?”

Kuroko looked calm overall, save for the glint in his eyes.

He nodded carefully and Taiga swallowed.

“Okay. Open your mouth.” He said and brushed his thumb over Kuroko’s lower lip again. Kuroko parted his lips slightly, waiting for Taiga to tell him what to do next.

Kagami swallowed and licked his lips. To be honest, he only had a vague idea of what he was doing, all his knowledge coming from American movies and things he involuntarily heard here and there. Sometimes it was hard to  _not_ listen.

“Stick out your tongue. Just a bit.” He murmured and Kuroko did that as well, the tip of his pink tongue peaking from his mouth.

Taiga closed his eyes and leaned down.

First, he brushed his lips over Kuroko’s. That was familiar. Then he slowly and unsurely slipped his tongue into Kuroko’s mouth and touched his.

Tetsuya made a small sound at the back of his throat, but it didn’t sound like he was put off. More like he was…contemplating.

Kagami pressed his lips harder, flicked his tongue over Kuroko’s once, twice trying to encourage him to do the same.

Kuroko was nothing if not a fast learner.

Two or three clumsy tries later, they were already kissing deeply, little murmurs that they couldn’t help but make filling their ears.

Kuroko suddenly closed his own lips over the tip of Kagami’s tongue and suckled gently, and Taiga found it very difficult not to groan into his mouth.

In return, he slipped his arms around Kuroko’s shoulders, one hand cupping the back of his head, craning it a bit so he could slot their mouths together.

It was Kuroko’s turn to let out a groan. Kagami could feel him gripping his shirt at his sides and he kissed deeper in return.

At the begging, Kuroko tasted like toothpaste, but Taiga chased that flavor away and all he could taste now was Kuroko.

And it was just. Very nice.

Finally, they had to pull away and breathe. Kagami was feeling a bit dizzy. Kuroko looked flushed and his lips were swollen. Kagami wondered if he looked the same.

Taiga leaned again when they calmed their breathing. All he managed was a first brush of lips and then the first touch of tongues, when both of then jumped at the sudden loud sound.

“Huh?” Kagami blinked and looked up.

Kuroko craned his neck to see better and then he pouted.

“Kagami-kun. My  _books._ ”

Taiga looked at the mess he (apparently) made. He didn’t even know when, but he pushed all the books and notebooks and pencil cases from the bed.

“Uh. It wasn’t on purpose.”

Kuroko rolled his eyes and huffed.

“Not the point. Please let me go?” He squirmed against Kagami’s hold around his waist when he tried to wiggle his away off the bed.

“No.” Kagami grumbled and held his squirming boyfriend closer.

“Why?” Taiga narrowly managed to avoid a kick in the shin.

“Because.” He put a hand on Kuroko’s jaw and tilted his back. “We’re not done.”

Kuroko blinked when Kagami kissed him again.

He squirmed for a moment, but then gave up and kissed back, arms coming around Taiga’s neck.

They pulled away after a long, long moment, lips shiny from spit and red from kissing.

“If you fail.” Tetsuya said between pants. “I’m not helping you this time.”

Taiga rolled his eyes and then rolled them over, pinning Kuroko to the bed.

He knew Kuroko was serious.

Didn’t matter.

It was worth it anyway.


	23. Courage test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> takes a break from writing fic by writing other fic
> 
> @steffelchen long ago asked for 13. First time he/she held he/she from the 
> 
> first times prompts and I just NOW suddenly got an idea. Also she drew me [kagakuro](https://twitter.com/SteffelCR/status/1009403467738337281) recently again <3

Movie night with Kuroko was a mistake – this was something Kagami always thought whenever his friend would present him with another horror movie he wanted to see this week. Yet he was  _never_  able to say no.

Well, not  _entirely_. He would say no. Very loudly and  _very_  clearly. He would present Kuroko with a different movie. With a different  _horror_ movie even.

But Kuroko only needed to look at him in a certain way, his eyes losing that special shine they got whenever Kuroko was really, truly excited for something.

And god knew, Kuroko didn’t really get excited on principle. Not visibly at least.

Kagami would always gave in. No matter what his inner, self-preservation instincts told or rather screamed at him.

With irritation, he wondered what that made him, him being so wrapped around Kuroko’s little finger.

Usually, he didn’t mind, since he liked making his friend –  _all_  his friends, happy, but the horror movies were always a bit too much.

Mildly put.

Kuroko couldn’t like normal horror movies. The ones with zombies, and gore and terrible special effects and lame acting. No, he had to like all those smaller, more obscure, Japanese movies, which were mostly about ghosts and grudges and  _bleeding_  ghosts (Taiga didn’t know how that was even possible, but somehow it was) and haunted houses and  _psychological_  horrors on top of that and they were just mind numbingly  _terrifying_. So much that for at least a week after watching one Taiga would have trouble sleeping, felt uneasy when left alone and avoided all mirrors.  _All of them._

Getting up at night to take a leak was  _so_ fun after that. No doubt.

But Kuroko loved them, so much it was kind of ridiculous. And Taiga hated them, but he wasn’t about to be a jerk to his best friend, when he waited all week to see the movie and he specifically asked Taiga to watch it with him.

The one they were watching currently was no different though and he resisted the urge to hide behind the pillow. He opted to look straight above the tv set, but instincts were instincts and he followed the movements on the screen, even if he would squeeze his eyes so often he should have by all means miss a good chunk of the movie. Also, Kuroko insisted on keeping the lights off. It would make them get into the mood more, he said.

“Kagami-kun.”

Taiga wheezed when the soft voice spoke suddenly.

“What?!” He jumped when caught a movement with the corner of his eye, but he kept his gaze on Kuroko.

Kuroko looked up briefly from the screen.

“If you don’t want to watch it anymore, that’s fine. I can finish it later by myself.”

Taiga frowned at that.

“I said it’s fine. I don’t have anything else to do.”

He went rigid when he heard a weird noise, but he didn’t dare to look away from Kuroko and check.

The other boy seemed to do great at multitasking though, switching between Kagami’s face and the screen.

“It’s not it. If you’re scared we can stop.”

“I’m not scared!”

Kuroko gave him a flat look which Kagami held for about two seconds until he shivered when he caught another movement from the corner of his eye.

“If you say so.” Kuroko turned his attention back to the screen, not commenting further.

Taiga also, albeit very reluctantly, returned his gaze back to the movie and almost bit his tongue when he was greeted with a sight of a flying, headless corpse.

He dug his fingers into the couch cushion underneath him and held his breath.

The movie entered another scene, where the ghosts and demons disappeared and the human characters were the only ones left on the screen for a while. Kagami breathed a sigh of quiet relief, but then his blood pressure raised again and he almost,  _almost_ shrieked when he felt a movement next to him.

Kuroko slid closer to him on the couch without making any sounds and Taiga only noticed when he felt their legs brushing.

He did a double take when he noticed how close they sat now and he frowned. Normally, he’d enjoy it secretly, would maybe even try and get closer himself, pretending it was by accident that their legs or arms brushed.

But this wasn’t normal circumstances. Kagami frowned.

“I said I’m not scared.” He grumbled but didn’t move away.

Kuroko shook his head.

“I am.”

Kagami paused.

“What?” He asked suddenly.

“I am. Scared that is.” Kuroko repeated and stared back at Kagami. Taiga gaped for a moment, but Kuroko seemed honestly serious, that it couldn’t be a joke. Right? Maybe that movie was too much for him too.

He opened his mouth to try and comfort him when he saw the corner of his mouth twitch. It was just barely there and it was dark in the room, but Kagami saw it somehow. He was getting good at reading him.

“Jerk.” He snapped with a frown, feeling his cheeks color with embarrassment.

“I’m serious.” Kuroko said in a deadpan tone so flat, it couldn’t be anything other than sarcasm. “I am terrified. Look.” He lifted his hand and Taiga blinked. “I’m trembling. Please hold me.”

“Oh, ha-ha. Very funny.” Kagami spat and slapped Kuroko’s hand away. His face was warm and he was feeling embarrassed.

But he wasn’t scared.

The thought that too soon because a high-pitched, female scream cut through the air and Taiga jumped and almost joined it. He grabbed the nearest thing for protection or for comfort and squeezed.

The nearest thing turned out to be Kuroko though. But it was too late to turn it into a joke and pretend. He couldn’t even bring himself to try and loosen up his grip.

And  _he_  was shaking.

Thankfully the movie was ending soon enough, but Kagami spend the last twenty minutes squeezing his eyes shut and breathing heavily until the last credits rolled and Kuroko turned off the movie. He turned down the volume, left the soft artificial light on and stayed still.

Kagami thought that Kuroko was probably uncomfortable with how tightly he was squeezing him and leaning over him, his face basically hidden in Kuroko’s neck.

But he wasn’t able to let go. Not just yet. Damn, he was gonna have nightmares tonight! Even though he wasn’t able to say what the movie was about, or what kind of monsters were featured.  

“Kagami-kun.” Kuroko asked softly, right into his ear and he shivered at the soft puff of voice. “The movie ended.”

“Yeah.” Taiga breathed and finally loosened up the grip a bit and inhaled.

“Are you still scared?” He asked before he could stop himself. Kuroko was silent for a longer moment. Kagami waited for him to jab him so he could stop clinging, or laugh at him, or for another sarcastic comment.

Instead Kuroko sighed softly, but it didn’t sound annoyed.

“Yes.” He said and shifted a bit, so Kagami’s face pressed more firmly into Kuroko’s neck. “A little.”

He sounded sincere, not sarcastic and Kagami paused thinking that maybe Kuroko  _did_  get scared by those movies after all. His face didn’t show anything, but he could feel this pulse in his neck and it was accelerated, like after a mild workout. If he didn’t have any reaction, he wouldn’t be able to feel it while pressing his forehead there, right?

Oh, it went up a bit.”

“Okay. So-“ He swallowed. “So, I guess, it’s okay to stay like this for a while.”

Kuroko was silent. Kagami noticed his hands on his lap and reached for them hesitantly. He circled his wrists and pressed his thumbs there. The pulse accelerated again.

“Okay?” He asked unsurely, not knowing who he wanted to comfort anymore.

Kuroko shifted again but not too far away from Kagami and let him hold him. Or was he the one being held? He didn’t know anymore.

“Okay.” Kuroko’s voice was quiet but it sounded loud in his ear and Kagami shivered again. “But only for a while.”

Kagami nodded against Kuroko neck and heard him hum softly into his hair.

It was a little longer than just a while.

And when they untangled, the movie was long forgotten.


	24. the present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Kagami!

“Kagami-kun…Kagami-kun….”

Taiga sighed and buried his face more into the pillow.

“Kagami-kun, please wake up.”

“Mhrpf what?” Taiga grumbled and frowned. What was that noise? He just wanted to sleep.

“Kagami-kun.”

The voice was kind of familiar though…

The voice sighed.

“Pleas. Wake. Up.”

  
Taiga cracked his eyes open just a fraction and all he saw at first was a smudge of blurry blue.   
When his eyes focused enough to make out a face, he felt a painful sting in his chest.

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

“Not again.” He licked his lips and threw an arm over his eyes.

“Excuse me?”

Kagami sighed.

“Is this because of lack of sleep or that I ate too much junk food?”

The voice chucked surprisingly and it went right into Kagami’s heart.

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow.”

_I hate you brain._

Taiga lifted the arm from his face and peeked over at the figment of his imagination.

“You’re my dream. Or a hallucination, right?”

“No.” The imaginary Tetsuya said. The way he shifted on the bed and sat so that they touched was almost real.

“I am here.”

Oh, it was  _so_  cruel.

“Sure, you are.” Kagami said and tried touching Kuroko. Surprisingly he felt solid and warm. As if he really was here. “In my head.”

“Kagami-kun.” Kuroko sighed when Taiga touched his cheek and then blushed a little. Huh. Funny. He didn’t dream about that yet, but it was always a nice image.

Taiga rubbed his thumb over the pink tinge over Kuroko’s cheek.

“God, I miss him. I mean, uh you.” He closed his eyes and dropped his hand. Maybe if he went back to sleep he’d dream a continuation. He had a strong urge to call Tetsuya right now, but it was the middle of the night in Japan and he needed to sleep. He wondered if he slept well. Did he also dream about Taiga? He most definitely didn’t get exhaustion hallucinations-

Taiga’s eyes snapped open when something heavy sat down across his stomach and cupped his face in his hands.

“I am real Taiga-kun.” He leaned in closer so that their noses brushed.

Kagami stared in into the deep, deep blue which almost,  _almost_ convinced him that this wasn’t some figment of his homesick imagination.

Kuroko must have figured that he wasn’t quite ‘there’ yet, so he did what he had to.

He kissed him.

At first it was a hard, rough kiss, basically snapping Kagami out of his sleepy daze and making his eyes widen.

And then it gentled, turned into a soft brush of dry lips on dry lips.

Kuroko pulled away and gave Kagami a smile which he knew so well from back home.

“I am here.” He repeated and then Taiga’s heart jumpstarted.

“What!” He sat up suddenly throwing his (very real and very sassy) boyfriend off of him.

“That was very rude.” Tetsuya deadpanned from beside Kagami where he flipped down in an awkward position.

“What the hell? You’re in Japan!” Taiga blurted out while Kuroko was sitting up.

“Well, last time I checked I wasn’t. Unless I learned how to split myself in two or teleport.”

“Wh-how. When? Who?!”

“Slow down.” He pushed Kagami down onto the bed and sat beside him.

“When did you get here?” Kagami finally produced a coherent sentence when his head hit the pillow.

“Two days ago.”

“What? And where- don’t tell me you hid under my bed for two days.”

Tetsuya laughed suddenly.

“I meant in the  _country_.” He shifted a bit to sit more comfortably. “As for your apartment I just got here.”

“Okay. But how did you-“

“Alex-san and Himuro-san helped.”

“Of course, they did.” He grumbled with a sigh.

Silence fell over them. Taiga didn’t know what to say more. His brain was still half asleep and he was also processing the fact that Tetsuya was here, real and not imaginary.

“I missed you too.”

Taiga looked up at the soft confession. Kuroko was smiling down on him.

“Happy birthday.” He put his hands on Kagami’s chest and kissed him softly and this time Kagami returned. it.

“Okay. That is too good to be a hallucination.” He said after the kiss and Kuroko chuckled.

“I have a present for you too.” He pulled away, but Taiga caught his arm.

“Wait.”

Tetsuya looked over his shoulder.

“Can…this wait.”

Kuroko titled his head.

“I mean…can…can you stay here?” His face heated up, but he didn’t look away.

“Of course.” Kuroko’s eyes softened and he smiled with understanding.

Kagami loved how he curled up beside him, head on his shoulder and fingers knotted together comfortably on his chest.

In a matter of seconds, he was out.

But this time he knew there’ll be Kuroko next to him when he woke up.

* * *

  
“So, what’s the present?”

Tetsuya opened his travel bag and took out a white rectangle.

“Here.”

Kagami looked puzzled, but took the envelope anyway.

“What’s this?” He said and looked over it and under the light but it had no markings and he couldn’t see inside.

“Please, just open it.” Tetsuya sighed with exasperation. “I promise it’s wort it.” 

Taiga shook the envelope just to annoy his boyfriend and see his impossibly adorable pout, but finally opened it and took out a few sheets of paper.

“Okay? What’s this?” Looking through them, he noticed that they looked like some sort of application.

“Read it.”

Taiga sighed and went back to the first page, grumbling, that Tetsuya made him read some dumb papers of all the things on his birthday.

And then he froze.

And looked up at Kuroko suddenly.

“Are-“

“Yes.”

“Do-“

“Yes.”

“But it’s-“

“Ye-“

“Let me say something damn it!” He snapped.

Kuroko bit his lip but he wasn’t able to keep the smile at bay. Taiga clutched the papers in his hand. It was…impossible right?

“No. It is possible.” Kuroko said and Taiga realized he was babbling out loud. He took Kagami’s hands

in his and made him let go the college application.

“I go accepted to the nearby university.” He said calmly and smoothed out the papers. “And I will be transferring starting this October.” He put the application back into the white envelope, he most definitely got on purpose to surprise Kagami.

Taiga just stood there gaping.

“I don’t have a dorm room yet, but-“ He looked around Taiga’s apartment. “I don’t think it will be needed?”

Kagami was still motionless.

“I’m moving to L.A.” He said simply.

Taiga pounced on him so suddenly and hugged him so tight, Kuroko thought he would break him in half.

“You-You!” Taiga was unable to say anything coherent again and he squeezed his smaller boyfriend tighter.

Kuroko wanted to protest that it was crushing him, but in all honesty, he never felt so light and weightless, as he did right in this moment.

“You’re crazy.” Kagami said when he pulled away and then laughed suddenly. “You’re  _so_  crazy.”

Tetsuya smiled at Kagami.

“Happy birthday Taiga-kun. I told you it was worth it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote a 3k fic for Kagami's birthday and while editing it i realized I hate it. So instead of rewriting it or deleting (i never delete the ones i never post bc on one hand yeah they suck but I also put a lot of work into them meh) I decided to write something shorter and different. 
> 
> This is by no means a orginal idea. It was done way better, just recently by Hilalry in her last year's Kagami birthday fic but....yeah. enjoy the cheese. I guess


	25. Lost (and (not) found)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for @onetruetea which is her idea again I just packed it in some words lol

The water was cool, almost cold, but against the hot sun and the heat if felt heavenly.

Tetsuya sighed and wriggled his toes in the wet sand and enjoyed the feeling of feet sinking bit by bit with each flow.

When he crinkled his eyes he could see a vague silhouette in the distance. He could barely make out any coherent shapes or colors from this distance and in such a strong sun (the straw hat helped but he had no sunglasses), but he knew where Kagami-kun was at any moment when he looked up.

Just as always.

He walked around the shore, soaking his feet and gathering shells and helping little animals get back into the sea, until the shape noticed him as well and waved.

Tetsuya waved back and after a moment the figure started getting closer, until Kuroko could very clearly make out all the shapes and colors he couldn’t before, but knew where there.

“Hey.” Kagami said and grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the beach. “Let’s get some water.”

Tetsuya didn’t have much time to say either a yes or a no, because he was too busy keeping his straw hat on his head.

“Ah, Taiga-kun, please wai-ouch.”

Tetsuya pulled at Kagami’s hand until he let him go and he moved back to the water.

“Hm?” Kagami looked back at his boyfriend when he paused. “What is it?”

Tetsuya scrunched his face and again touched the sand with a toe.

Hot.

Taiga frowned.

“Then wear your sandals idiot.”

“Yes, yes.” Tetsuya said distracted as he looked around the shore.

“What?”

Tetsuya hummed and put the shells he found into the pocket of his thin short sleeved hoodie.

“Hey?”

“They’re not here.” Tetsuya finally concluded. There weren’t that many people around, and he doubted someone was really desperate to steal his old sandals.

“I left them here.” He gestured to the patch of beach in front of him, but now that he looked he wasn’t sure. “They must have been swept away.”

Kagami sighed.

“That’s too bad then. Come on.”

Tetsuya frowned lightly at Kagami-kun’s dismissal, but he stayed in place.

“What?”

Kuroko simply looked at him and then raised an eyebrow.

“Seriously, _what_?”

“My soles aren’t that thick as some people’s.” Tetsuya said and let the water wash over his feet.

And he gave Kagami another pointed look.

The battle of stares lasted for maybe thirty more seconds, before the winner was announced.

“Okay, _fine!”_ Kagami snapped and Tetsuya reached with his arms (and a smirk) even before Kagami’s own arms wrapped around Kuroko; one around his waist and the other under his legs.

The blanket and Kuroko’s lounger weren’t far away and it took Kagami about ten seconds to get to them (two minutes if we’re realistic), but Kuroko already managed to get under his skin.

“Oh, now _I_ _am_ swept away.” Tetsuya couldn’t help himself and had to tease him even if just a bit.

Kagami scowled at him with impossibly red face.

“For someone who can punch basketballs and withstand Coaches rigorous training, you sure have really weird weak spots.”

Tetsuya huffed, always mildly annoyed when he was suddenly the target. Kagami grinned.

“Here you go your majesty.” Kagami said and set Kuroko down on his lounger. “Comfy?”

“Yes.” Tetsuya said and before Kagami could pull away fully, leaned up and placed a small kiss on his nose. “Thank you very much.”

Kagami’s jaw dropped and he looked like his brain short circuited for a moment. The almost _crimson_ blush which stole over his features almost made Kuroko worry, because it was _just_ a peck.

“The hell!” Kagami angrily whispered and Kuroko sighed in relief when his face turned a bit less like he was about to pass out.

“It was a tip. For the ride.” He teased back and Kagami made a strange face, a mix between annoyance, anger and embarrassment with a hint of fondness.

But just a hint.

“Oh yeah? You think I’ll let you off with just that?”

Tetsuya recognized a desperate attempt when he saw one and he knew Kagami-kun could try but he’d never win.

At least not here.

“Oh, pardon.” He said and wrapped his arms around Kagami’s neck. “What was I thinking.”  

And he pressed a long kiss to Kagami’s chin.

Kagami sputtered, let go of Tetsuya finally and pulled away. Kuroko had to laugh. Kagami panted heavily as if he wasn’t just kissed (pecked really, and _not_ even on the mouth) but as if he went six rounds with a sea monster.

He moved his hands in Tetsuya’s direction but stopped not knowing what he wanted to do. Tetsuya’s best guess was that he wanted to drag him back to the water and ‘punish’ him, but then they heard a familiar, annoyed voice and something was thrown in their direction.

It was a sandal. Not Tetsuya’s unfortunately.

“Hey, you two!” They both looked at the culprit which turned out to be their (now former) captain.

“Can you for the love of god stop canoodling? It gives me the hives.”

This time they both blushed (Tetsuya’s was fainter as if _always_ was) and Taiga-kun sputtered an apology.

“Whatever. We’re playing water polo. Are you coming Kagami?”

“Y-yeah.”

Hyuga nodded and turned around to join the rest of their teammates. He was muttering something about gross PDAs or something along those lines.

 “You.” Kagami turned back to him when Hyuga was far enough to not hear them, and raised an accusing finger.

Kuroko looked up and blinked confused.

 “We’re not done. Don’t think I’ll let you off the hook.”

Tetsuya blinked and then he smirked again. He saw how Kagami-kun blushed when he saw it and he felt satisfaction when he managed to turn his own words against him.

“And what would you have me do Kagami-kun? For my _terrible_ transgression.”

Kagami huffed.

“Smartass. I demand a full compensation.”

Tetsuya raised an eyebrow.

“Which is?”

Kagami reached with his hand, it almost brushed his cheek and Tetsuya almost held his breath.

But then his straw hat was pulled over his eyes and for a moment he lost his vision.

While he was squirming, Kagami mumbled _I’ll tell you later_ and then he ran away shouting that he’ll look for his stupid sandals.

Tetsuya managed to readjust his hat and sighed.

Kagami-kun was again one of many silhouettes in the distance.

Tetsuya sighed and looked around for his book. It was on the blanket just as he left it. He picked it up and flipped a few pages, before he opened it on the place he bookmarker before.

He buried his toes in the sand. It was warm, but not hot thanks to the parasol they spread over their things.

And then he paused when he felt something plastic under his feet.

He looked under the lounger and lo and behold he found his sandals!

Funny. He most certainly _didn’t_ leave them here.

Looking around he found a few strangers, but all of his teammates were currently in the water, playing and having a good time.

And Nigou was suspiciously sleeping on the blanket and under the parasol shade.

Like an angel.

With horns.

 Tetsuya scratched his dog behind the ears, but it didn’t even react aside from opening one eye and acknowledging that it was Tetsuya.

He sat more comfortably in his hair, opened his book and took one last look at the familiar figure in the distance.

And kicked sand over his sandals covering them more from any prying eyes.


	26. check mate

Taiga blushes and sputters at first, but when Kuroko doesn’t change his expression (not that anyone would notice, but being up close even  _Taiga_ could’ve see the subtle change, if it’d happen) he goes quiet and turns even redder.

Kuroko blinks slowly, light eyelashes fanning his cheeks like wings for a moment, and waits.

“Damn you.” Taiga mutters to himself, still squeezing Kuroko’s hands.

“How can you say shit like that?”

Kuroko’s mouth quirks upwards as if saying ‘I just do’ and Kagami sighs.

_Fine. Have it your way_. He thinks and leans down. Kuroko looks mildly surprised then (for Kuroko that is) but quickly recovers and closes his eyes. Kagami is determined to seal the deal, but then he gets a thought and pauses for a split second.

_Actually, no. Not your way_. He muses and grins when Kuroko opens his eyes when Kagami seemed to be hesitating and he’s getting impatient.

It’s Taiga’s turn to smirk at Kuroko.

And then he covers Kuroko’s mouth with his gloved hand.

“Better?” He asks and Kuroko just glares at him.


	27. Heavenly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by @steffelchen's karaoke Kagakuro art

“Oooh yeah!”

Kawahara’s enthusiastic finish earned him as much of an enthusiastic applause as well as a wave of hysterical laughter.

Kagami hid his face in his palm while his shoulders shook.

“Amazing. Simply amazing.” Furihata gave their teammate the so called ‘slow-clap’ while he bowed. His mic was immediately snatched by Fukuda.

“Okay my turn!”

The Karaoke party was his idea. The birthday boy (he turned seventeen last week) decided that all second years had to have an additional party, just for themselves along with the one the whole team celebrated after the club.

And so here they were.

The three other boys took the lead, leaving Kagami and Kuroko to simply order drinks and wait for their turn to sing.

Kagami was immediately roped into singing a duet with all of them and then a solo – an impossibly cheesy, anime opening which his deep voice clashed with.

Furihata, Kawahara and Fukuda all almost pissed themselves from laughter and even Kuroko giggled (almost) soundlessly in the corner at Taiga’s mortification.

And the moment his turn ended they all forgot about his ‘performance’.

Karaoke was way different in Japan.

In America it was mostly an adult entertainment and the bars which had the equipment would display the ‘show’ for everyone to see.

And then the next day you’d find a YouTube video with your drunken rendition of Tina Turner with a million likes.

At least that’s what Alex told him.

In a lot of ways, Japan was the home of many of his first wasn’t it? First team, first tournament, first onsen visit (he still shuddered), first festivals.

He glanced at Kuroko out of the corner of his eye.

And many other firsts.

So yeah, first Karaoke outing. Why the hell not.

“Wait!” Furihata stopped his friend. “I think we’ve forgot about someone?”

“Huh? Who?”

“I think you’re talking about me?” Kuroko answered suddenly next to Furihata and everyone startled. Even Kagami didn’t notice when he moved, and he sat right beside him!

“Kuroko!” He wheezed, where did you come from?!

Kuroko blinked slowly.

“I believe I was also invited to this establishment.”

Everyone sputtered from laughter then. Tetsuya smiled a little and Fukuda pushed the mic into his hand.

“Fine, your turn.” He said and sat down on the lounge.

Suddenly, everyone went quiet when the music started.

Even Taiga was a little curious. He never heard Kuroko sing so this would be a first (heh, another one) and he unconsciously sat a bit more at the edge of his seat.

The song was slower at first, but then it picked up the tempo. It wasn’t a ballad but it never went past a certain speed, leaving a lot of room for pauses.

In reality, it was some cliché pop song about doing your best or whatever else.

But somehow Kuroko transformed it in something which it wasn’t.

Beautiful.

Suddenly it ended and Kuroko blinked when no one wanted to take the mic from him.

Taiga snapped out and realized that he was gaping so he blushed and ducked his head.

The applause from his friends was a bit late but not less enthusiastic.

And then the song changed and it was Furihata’s turn again and everyone forgot about what just happened.

Everyone except Taiga.

Kuroko didn’t sing again. He said his throat hurt and he ordered hot tea. Taiga was again roped into duets and trios and even a quartet as well as for forced to produce solos.

By the end of it all his throat was also sore, and he sighed in relief when everyone had their share of singing fun.

They split into two groups; Furihata, Kawahara and Fukuda going their way and Kagami and Kuroko in the opposite direction.

When they waved their goodbyes, they sort of naturally gravitated towards each other shoulders brushing from time to time.

They walked in silence for a bit, before Kagami finally blurted what was on his mind.

“So, when did you learn it?”

Kuroko blinked at him and cocked his head to the side.

“Learn what?”

Taiga blushed, realizing he didn’t specify.

“Sing! I meant when did you learned to sing like that?”

Kuroko smiled suddenly.

“Like what?”

_Like an angel._  Was the first thing which popped into his head and he had to bite his tongue to not say it.

“Uh, really well.” He finally managed.

Kuroko hummed.

“Nowhere specific. My family just really likes singing.”

“Your family?” Huh, that was unexpected.

Kuroko nodded.

“Ever since I remember they liked Karaoke too and we would go sometimes, or we would sing at home. My grandmother is very fond of enka.”

Taiga snickered. That one wasn’t that unexpected.

Kuroko rolled his eyes.

“You sing very well too Kagami-kun.” He said suddenly and Taiga felt his cheeks burn.

“Don’t make fun of me. The song was terrible.”

Kuroko chuckled.

“I am not making fun of you. You have a really nice voice. Strong and clear. But you get too nervous so you falter.”

Taiga blushed even more at the specific compliment. He always thought he sang like a dying seal.

“But the song was terrible.”

Kuroko laughed suddenly.

“Yes it was. Who picked it?”

“Kawahara I think? I don’t ever want to sing about magical girls ever again.”

Kuroko chuckled under his breath.

“What’s your favorite song?” He asked suddenly and Kuroko looked at him and blinked.

“Favorite in what way?”

“That you like to sing.”

Kuroko hummed.

“Why are you asking?”

Taiga went quiet and also as red as humanely possible and it told Kuroko everything.

“What about you?” He answered with his own question. Taiga looked taken a back.

“I’d have to think. I’m not really a singing type. This was my first karaoke.”

“Oh, really?”

Taiga nodded.

Kuroko hummed again and went quiet and Taiga thought the topic was over.

“Alright, Kagami-kun. I’ll sing for you.”

“Wh-what?! I never sai-“ He sputtered, embarrassed at being so easily read.

“But on one condition.” Kuroko ignored his outburst.

“What?” Taiga wanted to punch himself by acknowledging that he basically just admitted, that yes he wanted to hear Kuroko sing again.

“It has to be a duet.”

Taiga breathed in the night air, his breath turning into a fog when he exhaled. He shivered more from the way Kuroko looked at him than from the cold and well, he really couldn’t say no.

“Okay. I’ll sing if you sing.” He said and Kuroko nodded with a small smile.

“But  _I’ll_ pick the song.”

Kuroko’s unhappy pout was very satisfying.


	28. Chores

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is for @tetsucchin for a prompt she gave me ages ago about Kagakuro doing the laundry and boooy did that idea didn’t want to stick for a while. but here it is. it’s pretty pointless but meh

Kuroko really hated doing the laundry.

Not because he didn’t know how to, not because he was forced to do it when he lived with his parents, not because of some childhood trauma featuring a washing machine and detergent (that was actually Aomine’s reason, but he refused to elaborate and Taiga really  _didn’t_  want to know).

He just really didn’t  _like_  doing it.

For Taiga it really wasn’t about the chores he liked or the ones he didn’t like. It was just that: chores. You got them done and out of the way so you could focus on the stuff you actually  _liked_  doing.

So, Taiga really didn’t think more about them, he just got them done and didn’t dwell on whenever they were enjoyable or not. It was either that or living in a barn of a home and he knew where  _he_  wanted to live.

But Tetsuya made a point of showing how much he  _hated_  it. Which was odd, since he did all the other things without a fuss, whenever it was vacuuming or washing dishes or grocery shopping or anything else.

He liked walking Nigou the most, which,  _figures_  he would.

Taiga stopped just in front of Kuroko who either ignored him on purpose or really was so engrossed in his book that he didn’t notice anything around him.

Or it could be both.

“Hey.” He nudged Kuroko’s leg with his foot. The boy blinked and looked from over the rim of his book. He was leaned against the pile of sheets as if it was his favorite lounging place. Nigou was sleeping next to him, nested comfortably on a pile of pillowcases.

“You’re still not done?”

Kuroko blinked and looked around.

“The book was so interesting I lost track of time.” He explained simply and Taiga rolled his eyes.

This was  _his_  home and  _his_  rules, and  _his_  rules said that if you didn’t do the laundry you’d sleep under bare covers and on bare pillows.

But it also was  _Kuroko’s_  home, meaning  _Taiga_  would also be sleeping under the same bare covers.

“Come on.” He knelt next to his boyfriend and started pulling at one of the sheets under Kuroko. Tetsuya closed his book and put it away, but he didn’t look like he was about to move. Kagami frowned when he saw a small smirk on his face and pulled harder.

Kuroko rolled from his reading pile and hit the hard floor with an oof. Kagami snorted and used his foot push at Kuroko’s hip and roll him further away from the sheets.

Kuroko managed to get himself on his hands and knees and leveled a glare at Taiga who simply shrugged.

“What?”

Kuroko didn’t say anything. He grabbed the nearest pillow case and hesitated for a moment, before he threw it in Kagami’s face.

“What the hell!” Kagami sputtered and threw the pillow case away. When he did it Kuroko was already folding the rest of the laundry and he looked annoyed.

“Idiot.” Kagami grumbled and grabbed the nearest bedsheet, but he found something already grabbed into it.

“What the-Nigou!” He shook it trying to make him let go, but the puppy growled and pulled harder.

“Leave it Nigou.” Kuroko spoke and the dog listened suddenly, letting go and yapping at Kagami.

Taiga made a face and stood up. The pillowcase would need  _another_ wash. Fantastic.

He glared at Nigou and then at Kuroko, who pretended he didn’t notice. He grabbed another piece to fold which turned to be larger and pulled it closer to himself. Nigou’s ears perked at the sudden movement, thinking it was still playtime, and grabbed at the sheet from the other side.

“No, Nigou!” Both Kagami and Kuroko warned, but the dog was too excited to care. He pulled and growled at the sheet, and then started running around them, barking from time to time.

Taiga grabbed at the sheet and tried to step over the dog but his leg got caught up in pile of laundry sheets and he lost his footing. Nigou let go of his trophy and barked in warning, but it was too late.

“Ow.” Taiga grumbled when his knee hit the floor, thankfully cushioned by the now dirty and wrinkled sheets.

“Are you okay?” He asked Kuroko who he seemed to squashed when he toppled over and fell right on top of him.

“I’m fine. Are you?” He sounded a bit breathless, so Kagami grunted and lifted himself by the arms.

He thought for a moment, judging if his knee was still hurting, but it seemed to be just a small bruise.

“Yeah.” He said and tried to pull himself away from Kuroko. Only now he noticed that his legs were wrapped in linen and cotton and he  _couldn’t_ move. Nigou observed them for a moment, but then when he realized his humans were okay, he moved to the couch, made himself comfortable and continued his nap.

Taiga sighed.

“Was that really necessary?”

Kuroko shrugged and then chuckled.

“What? What’s so funny asshole?”

“Nothing.” He said. “I think I just really like making laundry.”

“You do?!” Kagami said and sat up. “Really?”

Kuroko nodded.

“You know you’re insufferable.”

Tetsuya gave him a cheeky smile and moved to help him get loose from his cotton trap.

“Maybe.” He said and gathered all the ruined sheets. “But at least laundry is not boring that way.”

Kagami scoffed.

“Where are you going?”

“To do it again. Nigou.” The puppy woke up in an instant and with a yelp jumped from the couch.

“Come. You’ll help.”

Nigou barked and trotted after his master happily.

Taiga wondered how a puppy would help him make laundry, but he decided not to ask.

“Just don’t forget to use the fabric softener!  _Again_.” He said instead.    


	29. Special Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY KGKR DAY!!
> 
>  
> 
> title has no connection to the fic, I just didn't have any ideas orz

“And then I managed to pass _three_ guys at once and score a buzzer.”

“Really.”

“Nah it was two.”

Kuroko laughed and Kagami’s lips twitched at the sound, his chest suddenly warm and light.

“I’m glad you’re getting along with your new team.” Kuroko mused.

“Yeah.” Taiga glanced at the bedside clock. It was almost midnight in L.A which meant it was the middle of the day in Tokyo. Kuroko didn’t have any classes today since they got cancelled and texted Taiga that if he wanted and had the time they could skype.

Taiga was actually slogging through his boring, economics homework and when he saw a text from Kuroko he dropped everything and immediately called back. That was two hours ago and he was starting to get sleepy now but being able to hear Kuroko’s voice on the other side of the world for longer than twenty minutes was of highest importance and he pushed away the moment of saying goodnight in time for as long as he could.

But Kuroko was Kuroko and he knew _everything._

“Taiga-kun should get some sleep. You probably need to wake up early and finish your homework.”

Taiga made a face.

“How did you-you know what? Don’t answer that.”

Kuroko hummed on the other side.

“Lucky guess.”

Taiga groaned.

“I told you!”

Kuroko chuckled.

“You didn’t have to call me immediately you know? What if I was in a compromising position?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like in the shower?”

Taiga snorted.

“Then I would ask for you to facetime with me.”

Kuroko laughed again and Taiga grinned despite the warm blush on his cheeks. Flirting was still weird, but sometimes it was easier like this.

“My phone is not waterproof.”

“Damn. Then I’ll buy you one. For Christmas.”

Instead of laughing Kuroko just hummed and went silent.

“You’re coming for Christmas.” It was a confirmation and not a question.

“Yeah.”

“Two weeks?”

“Two weeks.”

The unspoken _too short_ hung between them.

Good ten minutes passed without them speaking a word, both of them kind of lost in each other’s thoughts.

For other people it might seem awkward, but Kagami never thought that. Neither of them were particular chatterboxes, and being able to just spend some time in silence together while each of them did their own thing was…very comforting. They did that all the time in high school and that didn’t really change when they started dating as well.

That was one of these things Kagami never had with _anyone_ before Kuroko. Not even with Tatsuya and _definitely_ not with Alex.

Alex sometimes couldn’t get the hint and _shut up._

And being silent through the phone was apparently the _most_ awkward thing to some people, Taiga not being an exception when it came to people who weren’t Kuroko.

For most of his life he preferred texting or face to face interaction, but since he went to college in L.A he found himself missing and craving Kuroko’s voice.

Taiga let the silence wash over him and put the phone on speaker in case Kuroko wanted to say something.

Laying on his back he started looking up the newest phone models and he grinned a bit. Kuroko’s phone was old and battered so this would be a good Christmas gift idea. It would be an additional jab at him if he got him a waterproof phone just for the sake of it.

“Taiga-kun.” His name was spoken in a low, soft tone and Taiga’s eyes softened.

“Yeah?” He said as he bookmarked one of the results for later.

“Taiga-kun.”

“Yeah, I’m here. What’s up.”

“Nothing, I just felt like saying your name.”

Taiga blinked and then yelped suddenly when the phone he was just holding in his hand _smacked_ him in the face.

“Ow. Fuck.”

“Taiga-kun?”

Kagami felt himself blush, but he tried to play it off as nothing and pressed the phone back to his ear.

“Yeah?”

“Did you just drop your phone on your face?”

Damn it.

“How do you even know these things? You’re not even _here_!”

“I’m psychic.” Kuroko said and Kagami rolled his eyes.

“No, you’re just an asshole.”

Kuroko laughed quietly.

Taiga rubbed his nose but he couldn’t stay mad at his boyfriend when he was being like that; playful and sweet.

Even when he was a bit of an ass.

Little shit.

Kuroko’s giggle went quieter and quieter until the other side went silent.

“Tet-“ Kagami stopped when he heard the barely audible, _barely_ there, yet familiar sound.

He gaped.

“Did you just _kiss_ the phone?”

Kuroko huffed and Taiga could just imagine how his face turned a very fetching shade of pink while his lips curved in a pout.

“Well, I’m not there to kiss it better right? So we have to make do.”

Taiga groaned, covering his eyes, before he started laughing.

“Still a little shit and _still_ embarrassing.”

Kuroko made an _offended_ noise on the other side, but Kagami knew he was smiling anyway.

They bickered back and forth for a bit longer, until Kagami couldn’t hide his yawn anymore.

“Taiga-kun. _Sleep._ ”

“Taiga-kun sleep.” Kagami mocked Kuroko’s voice and he could practically _hear_ Kuroko’s eyes roll.

“Don’t blame me for falling your classes.”

Kagami harrumped.

“Well, then…stay with me until I fall asleep.”

Silence.

“Stay?” Kagami repeated.

“Are you sure?”

Taiga shrugged.

“Sure. My dad is gonna kill me for the phone bill but I don’t care. I wanna hear your voice.”

His face was probably crimson and he swallowed, but he didn’t care.

Kuroko stayed silent.

“Hey? You there?”

“I am.” Kuroko said in a small voice. “I was just thinking that Taiga-kun is the psychic.”

“Huh?”

“I wanted to call you myself today. To be able to hear your voice.”

Taiga dropped his hand from where it was rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“You know what? I don’t even have anything to say to that. Just…talk to me until I fall asleep?”

“Alright.” Kuroko said and did as Taiga asked. He talked about his day, about school about his family, about Seirin and his middle school teammates.

He talked about Nigou and his small attempts at cooking new things and many other insignificant little things which were _so_ very important to Taiga.

Before he knew he feel asleep, phone pressed to his ear, and lulled by Kuroko’s voice.

 

* * *

 

Tetsuya appeared on the airport out of nowhere, like he always did whenever Taiga was involved.

One moment Taiga was texting Alex and Tatsuya that he arrived and looking around for his blue haired boyfriend, not being able to spot him anywhere, and in the next he was standing a few feet away from him, smiling and waiting patiently.

It was like the mass of people spread itself like the red sea and lo and behold _there_ was Tetsuya.

Kagami froze then, seeing Kuroko in the flesh for the first time in over ten months and not on the screen of his phone or laptop.

It was…moving. To say the least.

He let go of his suitcase, hearing how it dropped to the ground. His backpack also slid from his arm hitting the floor.

Tetsuya was still smiling and Taiga’s hands were twitching.

“Welcome home Taiga-ku-mmgmfm.”

Taiga has always been fast when on court and his training with the new team and coach developed his skill even more, to the point that he thought he _actually_ took Kuroko by surprise.

At least according to the way his eyes went huge and how he definitely didn’t expect Taiga to lunge himself at him, mouth sealing over Kuroko’s and kissing him _until_ he kissed back.

“We’re in public.” Tetsuya panted when they broke away, thin strand of saliva connecting them for a second before it broke.

Taiga would believe that it bothered him. If it did, then why were his hands fisted painfully in his hair at the back of his head?

“Look around. No one cares.”

Kuroko sneaked a glance around and had to confirm Kagami’s assessment.

Taiga angled his head back to him and made sure Kuroko didn’t think about anything else but him for a little while longer.

When someone bumped hard into Taiga and he tripped, almost falling while still holding Kuroko in his arms, only then did they break the kiss.

Tetsuya laughed into his throat, hands squeezing around Kagami’s neck.

Taiga couldn’t help but smile to himself. Way better than over the phone.

“Let’s go home Taiga-kun.”

“Yeah.” Kagami said and slid his backpack back on, grabbed his suitcase in one hand and Kuroko’s hand on the other.

“Let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title of the collection from the song Boats and Birds by Gregory and the Hawk which is the most Kagakuro song in existance.


End file.
